Nexus
by KS Claw
Summary: A new villain is in MegaKat City, and he is after Elrod Purvis for a certain reason (Epilogue is up)
1. Prologue

NEXUS  
  
by KS Claw  
  
Here's the next part of the "When Nightmares Come True".   
  
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PROLOGUE  
  
He was in a courtroom, only clad in his boxers. He was on his knees, his hands   
  
chained to a ring in the floor, on a stone-block. He didnÂ´t look up and around.   
  
He knew who was watching him. Several versions of himself. Or rather, several   
  
versions of Viper. There where all kinds of them.  
  
A judge, a flock of 12 representing the jury, witnesses....and the executioner.  
  
The executioner was unlike the others. He was tall, muscular and well- built,   
  
his tail even longer and more flexibal than the other Vipers. He was dressed in   
  
a pair of black leather trousers that fit on him like an extra coat of skin. A   
  
black vest with silvery edge covered his upper body, unclosed, showing off his   
  
muscular torso. Around his left eye was a tattoo of a black dragon, and a corner   
  
of his mouth was turned upwards in a cold smirk. The judge had been listening to   
  
all the witnesses and was now calling up the last.  
  
"The jury calls in....David Purvis!"  
  
Elrod lifted his head in a snap. David! Here in this place!?  
  
The small snake-kitten came walking in through a side door, unsure in his   
  
movements the way he always moved when he was nervous. A court-officer version   
  
of Viper helped him up behind the witness-'fence' and made him swore the oath.   
  
The judge then looked calmly on David.  
  
"What hasss the sussspected done to you, child?" he hissed lowly. David looked   
  
on Elrod, hurt evident in his eyes.  
  
"He lied to me."  
  
A choir of gasps emitted from the room and some began to shout, but they where   
  
brought to silence by a snarl from the judge. He looked on David again.  
  
"Lied to you? In what way?" David looked down, trembling slightly.  
  
"H...he....he never told me the truth.....he told me I was gonna be fine when he   
  
put me to bed....he said I was overtired..." the kitten unhappily sobbed out   
  
what Elrod had told him so many times whenever he had been scared, when his   
  
parents had talked about Viper and David had heard it. The more the sobbing   
  
kitten told, the worse EP felt.  
  
When it was becomming too much for the kitten, the judge reached down and gently   
  
stroked the childs head.  
  
"There there child. You donÂ´t belong with hisssss kind." he said with a gentle   
  
smile, and a steel-like glare in Elrods direction. David looked up on the judge.  
  
"I..I don't?" He asked puzzled. The judge shook his head.  
  
"Look around child, tell me what you see..." David looked around, then looked   
  
back on the judge.  
  
"Alot of...snakekats...like me..." the judge nodded.  
  
"Yessssss. We are one of a kind child. It isss your choice if you want to be   
  
with ussss....or him." the judge glared at Elrod once again, causing him to   
  
wince. David frowned, looking on Elrod, who then realised that if David joined   
  
these....he would fully become one of them!  
  
"David..." he whispered. "David...their all lying! They could never be your   
  
family! They could never love you like I do! They...."  
  
"Shut up!" the kitten yelled. Elrod stared in surprise. David growled at him.  
  
"You never cared for me! You never really loved me! All you did was lie, lie,   
  
*LIE!!!!*"  
  
The last word was screeched out, so it ecchoed in the courtroom. Everyone was   
  
silent. David whimpered.  
  
"I HATE YOU! I WISH YOU WHERE DEAD!!" he cried, then before anyone could react,   
  
he ran off. No one tried to stop him, not even the executioner who seemed to   
  
have gotten a more golden and angrier glow in his eyes. Elrod shuddered. How   
  
could anyones eyes be so full of so much hatred?  
  
The judge snarled. "It issss ssssettled. The jury can retire and return with the   
  
decissssion!" The jury muttered together for about a few seconds, then one of   
  
them, looking like as if taken straight out of a "Terminator" or "Robocop"-movie   
  
stood up and said in a cold monotone voice:  
  
"The jury finds the suspect guilty your honor."  
  
The whole courtroom exploded in cheers, and where silenced once again as the   
  
judge stood up, glaring coldly down on Elrod who shamefully looked down on his   
  
chained hands.  
  
"Ssssuspect hassss been found guilty for liessss, liesss and more liesss!" the   
  
judge sneered, showing his sharp glimpting fangs. "Execution will be done   
  
imeadiatly! Nexus! Do your duty!"  
  
Nexus the executioner stepped forwards and grabbed Elrod by his hair, pulling   
  
his head back. The large snakekat growled, glaring into Elrods eyes.  
  
"How doesss it feel to be the lamb ready to be ssslaughtered?" he growled as   
  
someone handed him a scythe with a long blade of pure silver. Elrod gulped. He   
  
didnÂ´t dare anything but sit still, closing his eyes. A odd calmness seemed to   
  
fill his body, giving him a sense of comfort. He was going to die....this was   
  
the way it was meant to happen all along....  
  
Nexus smirked as he held the scythes cold blade pressed a short second against   
  
Elrods throat to get a proper aim.  
  
"The sinners shall be brought to justice, and I shall execute them for their   
  
crimes!" He said in a low growling voice, raising the scythe above his head.   
  
Elrod closed his eyes, fear grabbing his heart once again. "Sharrakus, thy old   
  
God of the light, please. Please, protect my soul, I beg you!"  
  
But the ancient God did not hear him. Elrod felt his breathing in short   
  
strangled gasps now.  
  
He opened his eyes a single second before the silver-blade of the scythe slashed   
  
downwards.  
  
*********************************  
  
"HAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Elrods eyes flew open and he sat up with a cry   
  
of fear. He sat staring out blankly for a few seconds, then curled up, his whole   
  
body shaking. He felt a pair of warm arms embrace and hold him close, soothing   
  
him like a child who had awoken from a horrible nightmare. Elrod sobbed and   
  
quivered as Kathy soothed him, then after a while, he calmed enough to fall   
  
asleep once more. He lay down tiredly and dozed off once more.....  
  
Kathy watched her beloved husband as he lay close to her, curled up like a   
  
frightened kitten. She sighed and reached down, and pulled the bedcover over the   
  
sleeping tomkat. Kathy gently stroked Elrods cheek as he slept, receiving a   
  
soft, peaceful purr from him. She smiled at him and kissed him gently before she   
  
lay down, next to Elrod who was finally sleeping peacefully.  
  
But still, the dreams would keep comming. And they got worse for each time Elrod   
  
as much as closed his eyes. It had been like this for 3 whole weeks. No one had   
  
found David, it was as if he had vanished from the face of the earth. Elrod had   
  
seeked help to find a way to re-mutate David, but it had been hard. Kathy sighed   
  
as she recalled Elrods expression when he had realised he directly had to beg   
  
the person he despised the most for help. The only other person who knew about   
  
the Vipermutagen and its effects besides Elrod....  
  
Dr. Zyme.  
  
She had been there along with him when they went to Zymes home. Ever since the   
  
Giant Bacteria incident, Zyme had been a nervewreck and he had needed rest. In   
  
the end, he had become a loner, and preferred to mail his reports to the labs.   
  
It had been a shock to him when he opened the door and saw Elrod Purvis standing   
  
in the doorway. As Elrod had predicted, he fainted.  
  
After Zyme had gotten concious again and Elrod had explained the situation, the   
  
redhaired kat stared coldly on him.  
  
"So...the proud and stubborn Elrod Purvis AKA Dr. Viper one of the most   
  
psycopathic villains of MegaKat City, comes to my own home with his *wife*, to   
  
ask me to make a potion, that will re-mutate his *son* who has somehow been   
  
infected with the Vipermutagen! Now why would I wanna do that!!??" he snarled   
  
and turned away from Elrod who paled.  
  
"Even before you became Dr. Viper, you would always bother and mock me, call me   
  
a idealistic fool and other names..." he growled as he paced back and forth. He   
  
then stopped and looked cooly at him. "The answer is no! I will not help you."   
  
Elrods eyes widened. "No! Please! Zyme..." Elrod began, but Zyme only turned his   
  
back on him. "I don't see why I should help you." he growled as he turned to   
  
go. "Now excuse me, I have business to attend..." he stopped as he felt a hand   
  
grab his arm. Looking up, he saw Kathy. She closed her eyes a second then took a   
  
deep breathe.  
  
"Dr. Zyme, please...." she whispered. "Please listen to us....this is not about   
  
us...but about our son. He is only but 6 years old. He is out there somewhere,   
  
alone, lonely and maybe he is even hurt! Please....if anything....help us...."  
  
"And if not for us, then please...do it for our son. He is only a child! He has   
  
never done anything wrong! Would you really go that far Zyme? To let a child   
  
suffer!? I know you hate me and all....but since when did a child have to take   
  
the burden of his parents sins on his shoulders!?" Elrod whispered. As Zyme   
  
looked on him, it was then he noted the shadows below the tomkats eyes and the   
  
golden color in Elrods fur seemed to have faded a bit, like one time where they   
  
had been up all night to work on a important project that had deadline in the   
  
morning. It was as if Elrod hadnÂ´t been getting a proper nights sleep for   
  
*years*!! Zyme then sighed. They where right. Just because he disliked the fact   
  
that Purvis had been a psyco who had nearly managed to kill him, he couldnÂ´t   
  
let a child suffer because of that....  
  
"Very well...I will help." He said. 


	2. Chapter 1: The summoning

CHAPTER 1: THE SUMMONING  
  
Once he had been a child, caught in the body of a hideous monster.  
  
Now he was a warrior, a servant of the Goddess of darkness.  
  
He was Nexus.  
  
The reptilian kat was resting in a 'throne' created of bones of demons and a ghost-dragon. It had been one of the young ones so it had been easy to defeat.  
  
Nexus yawned as he lazily slided a finger along the curved of the horn on the demonscull where his arm was resting. It had been 3 weeks since he had returned to this world, and he had been working quite hard to get a few things done on time. He leaned back further, his whole body relaxing in the bony throne, absently listening to the sounds emitting from the swamp, the plantimals growling and sneering at eachother in the basements of the enormous tree. Nexus narrowed his eyes, the golden shine in them seeming more powerful in the darkness of the dusk, which had started to spread its cape across the swamp. Soon, it would be time.  
  
He raised up from the throne and stretched his muscular body, making a small dash with his long tail, reaching out after a large scythe with a silvery blade, that was leaning up the wall next to the 'throne'. As Nexus grabbed his weapon, he absently slided his hands up and down the shaft of the wooden handle. He chuckled as he remembered Hei Yings words when he first got it. He had been 10, and the scythe had been much too heavy for him.  
  
"When you can lift the scythe, then I shall teach you how to use it."  
  
Those where the words Hei Ying had used. And she had kept her promise. 6 years passed in Hei Yings realm, 6 years which would be counted as nothing more but 3 hours in his own world.  
  
Exactly the same day where he had turned 16, the same day he had been able to lift his scythe. And Hei Ying had started his training.  
  
Swinging the scythe in the beginning had been difficult. There *had* been a few accidents, involving a minoring of Hei Yings demonservants, and once or twice where Nexus had sliced off his own tail or another of his body parts. The amazing thing with his body was, that he within minutes, hours or days, depending on the size of the injury, would easily be healed. The snakekat smirked, as he was looking at his own reflection in the silvery blade of the scythe. A ray from the setting sun slipped in through a window, shining in the blade and making it seem like glowing. Nexus looked up, narrowing his eyes once again, the glow in his eyes competizing with the setting sun.  
  
"It is time."  
  
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In the deepest parts of the swamp, places where no one, not even the past resident of the swamp, Dr. Viper had dared to go, a ancient creature was resting. The nature surrounding it gave it perfect camouflage along with its body, so it could only be seen by the trained eye. Its size could be counted as the lengh of about 20 tanks lined up in one line, its head being the largest part with a diameter that would fit for the size of 2 F-16 jet- airplanes placed on top of eachother. When breathing in its sleep, it could easily be taken for a faint breeze in through the trees of the swamp, and the scales on its body where covered with all sorts of slime, moss and other sorts of plants. Once in a while, the creature would turn around so it would lay on its back, its stone-grey belly exposed , and the 18 stumpy legs pointing up in the air, easy to mistake as old crooked trees. The claws on the enormous paws where strong enough to scratch in the toughest surface, and the strong beak which where the creatures mouth, could bite through the strongest steel.  
  
It was then, that it heard the calling.  
  
The beast opened its silvery eyes, looking around and about, trying to find the troublemaker that had desturbed the creatures rest. It lifted its enormous head, staring around in the darkness of the night surrounding it, the darkness only interrupted by some fireflies buzzing around. Then it saw him.  
  
The figure stood lonely on a small hill, one hand on his hip and the other holding a deadly-looking scythe, which seemed to have a silvery glow despite the darkness of the night. The creature opened its beak-like mouth and roared, zooming towards the stranger who had desturbed its rest. It stopped within a few inches and backed away with a slight screeching, recognizing the mark around the reptilian kats left eye. The mark of the creatures mistress and creator, Hei Ying. Nexus grinned slightly.  
  
"I see you recognize the sign of the Goddess whom we both serve." The creature hissed in response, lowering its head so it was on height with Nexus, who reached out and patted its beak.  
  
"I have a message for you, from Hei Ying." He said calmly, then began to talk in a strange language, which only he and the creature could understand. When Nexus had given his message, the creature roared, its way of telling that it was accepting the mission which Hei Ying had given it. Holding the scythe with both of his hands, Nexus raised it high up in the hair.  
  
"Summon your brothers, mighty swampbeast! SUMMON THEM I SAY!!"  
  
The swampbeast howled, the sound ecchoing across the swamp, and vanished in the waters of the swamp.  
  
Nexus grinned. "Mission accomplished..." then, he returned to his own lair.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
The red wine flowed from the bottle and into the goblet in one easy motion, glowing in its crimson glory from the light of the few orbs spread around in the room. Nexus carefully raised the goblet to his lips and flickered his tongue across the crimson surface of the red liquid. Ahh yes...Elvenblossom wine. It was the sweetest and strongest kind of wine you could get, taken from the land of Qualinost in the world of Krynn*, made from sweet berries and perfumed with cherry flowers. As beautifully crimson it was, as strong it was in its high strengh of alcohol. The Elvenblossom wine was perfect for its purpose, to clear you up if dozy, or if you needed to get a proper nights sleep....without dreams.  
  
Nexus scowled at the thought.  
  
"Dreams. Who need those!?" He hissed as he walked over to his throne and settled in it, taking a furious sip from the goblet. Due to that he was used to the strong drink, he didnÂ´t choke on the heavily perfumed alcoholic drink, like the ones who tried it the first time would. Then lazily, he reached out and flicked his wrist, a orb appearing in his hand. He narrowed his eyes as he concentrated, his mind searching for one particular person....  
  
*******************  
  
Elrod was unbelievably tired. He had been working hard the last few days in order to find a antidote for David, but they had not found anything yet. Zyme watched the other kat worried, as Elrod for the 5th time or more was about to fall asleep while reading through some formulas. With a slight frown, he went over and gently shook Elrods shoulder.  
  
"Purvis, your dead-tired. Go home and rest."  
  
"N...no I canÂ´t....the cure...."  
  
"Is something that can be handled by one person." Zyme said calmly. "IÂ´ll take over from here Purvis. You go home and rest. You need it."  
  
Elrod sighed. He knew Zyme was right and he was too tired to argue. "Fine, IÂ´ll be going...and Zyme?"  
  
Zyme turned around to face Elrod. "Yes Purvis?"  
  
"IÂ´m....sorry about those things in the past...you know, trying to steal the mutagen and all...if I hadnÂ´t done that...I wouldnÂ´t be in this situation now." Zyme shook his head.  
  
"Its in the past Purvis. Now we need to think of the future. And you need to think of some sleep. Come back when you are fully rested, OK?" Elrod nodded.  
  
"Yeah...OK...." With that, he left. Zyme sighed as he through the window of the lab watched Elrod head for his car, get into it and drive off.  
  
"The poor fellow. Who would have thought, that the young, loudmouthed smart- alec tom-kat would end up trying to find a cure for his son because of what happened back then?" He sighed again, then turned and headed back towards the table to begin his work.  
  
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Chapter 1so far! Gimme about 5 reviews and IÂ´ll continue. C ya next time! ~ The author 


	3. Chapter 2: the first strike

THE FIRST STRIKE  
  
  
  
"Kats alive. What a dead morning." T-bone grumbled as he steered the Turbokat through the air. Razor showed his agreement by yawning tiredly. He had been up since 5 am along with his partner in order to finish a few chores.  
  
One: calm the baby who was teething  
  
and Two: Get ready for morning-patrol  
  
None of the 2 pilots had anything to look forward to. Dark Kat had kept lowline since his mysterious return a few years ago, Viper had disappeared, and most of the other criminals where in the slammer. So all in all, things where not something to look forward to. Usually, the 2 kats had looked forward to another day of patrolling, stopping criminals, bothering Feral....  
  
But it wasnÂ´t the same anymore. With some of the main villains 'missing' thing where...boring!  
  
"So whatya think will happen today?" Razor asked, looking down on the streets.  
  
"Probably the usual...old ladies getting their purse taken, bank-robbery, that stuff." T-bone responded. "Maybe we should ju- AUGH!!" Razor was interrupted as he saw a enormous creature clinging to the side of MegaKat Tower. It looked like some sort of giant catterpillar...and it was eating off the tower!?  
  
"Looks like we finally got something to do!" T-bone yelled with a glimpt of anticipation in his eyes. "Lets get it!"  
  
A place far away from the tower where one of the swamp-beasts had found a easy meal, Nexus was watching. He looked up as he heard the roaring engines of the Turbokat and narrowed his eyes that seemed like glowing despite the bright morning sun. He was seated on a top roof where no one would bother looking, so he would not be desturbed. He smirked as he saw the jet fly towards the swamp-beast.  
  
"Actorsss are in place, the play can begin." He muttered. Then he vanished into thin air.  
  
The swamp-beast grumbled contented as its powerful beak broke through the cement and metal holding up the tower, ignoring the panicked screams from the kats inside the building. It was hungry and it hadnÂ´t been eating for many centuries. Now, it wanted to sooth its hunger. It ignored the small annoying buzzing insects that seemed to wanted to draw its attention away from the tower, sometimes firing off something that exploded on its back, but the swamp-beast ignored it. Its thick hide protected it from being hurt. So it simply ate on.  
  
"Crud! That thing must have a hide as thick as a mountain!" T-bone growled as another missile hit the beasts back without leaving as much as a scratch. Razor nodded, being in deep thought. Nothing went like they had planned, and they where running out of missiles too!  
  
"Problemssss SWAT KATSsssss?" A disdainful voice asked from somewhere to the left. Both vigilantes turned their heads and their eyes widened at the sight.  
  
"DOCTOR VIPER!!" They both yelled, spinning the jet to face their enemy. Viper seemed to be standing in the air, but both kats where too hooked up on the situation to notise or care.  
  
"I knew it could only be you!" T-bone snarled. "Your the only person who could think up the creation of this kind of monster!!" The snake-kat laughed in response.  
  
"I am not who you think I am. And certainly not that weakling Viper" He said calmly, his arms crossed and his eyes glowing. It was first now that the 2 kats noted his different appearence...he was alot more different than Viper. Being taller, clad in a leather-outfit that fit him like a extra piece of skin and showing off muscles that could put SuperKat to shame, he was definately not the one they had first thought of him to be.  
  
"If you are not Viper, then who the heck are you!?" T-bone growled, baring his teeth. The snakekat smirked.  
  
"I am the servant of the Goddess of night, Hei Ying. I am the Death-knight of the apocalypse, taking the life for those who's time has come. I am Nexus!"  
  
The 2 SWATKATS sat paralyzed in shock. Hei Ying was one of the oldest gods ever to have excisted! No one had mentioned her in centuries! There had been rumors of small cults formed in her honor, but they had quickly been wiped out by the Enforcers because of what they did in the name of their Goddess. Rape, murder, bloody rituals...everything they did was in the name of Hei Ying. Was this another of those freaks or....  
  
"I know what you are thinking, SWATKAT. And no, I am not another 'freak' as you put it." Nexus said calmly, a sneer of disgust forming on his muzzle. "Those pathetic mortals who formed socalled "cults" in the name of the Goddess whom I serve, where mindless fools, not knowing her true ideals. She rules the night and the dark creatures who roam in it. She do not tolerate rape, murder or any other sick and perverted "ritual" in her name. She is far more wiser than that."  
  
"Then if you are serving her, how come your doing this?" T-bone snarled, pointing at the swanp-beast.  
  
"Oh do not mind the swamp-beast. He is only but hungry." Nexus said with a smirk. "He will retreat..oohh....in about 2 or 3 days."  
  
"2 OR 3 DAYS!!??" Both SWATKATS shouted. "But...But then it will have eaten the whole building!!" Razor gawked. Nexus threw his head back, letting out a thunderous laughter.  
  
"My your clever, SWATKAT! Of course he will have eaten the tower! It is but a small demonstration of my power! At least that will ease you from your boredom no? Now, if you will excuse me? I have some other business to attend." With that, Nexus made a light bow in the air and laughed as he vanished from sight, leaving T-bone and Razor paralysed.  
  
"He....he could read our minds!" T-bone whispered hoarsely. Razor nodded weakly.  
  
"T-bone?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"We've got ourselves a big challenge here!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------  
  
Kathy was worried, and with a good reason.  
  
Elrod hadnÂ´t come home last night, and she was wondering if he had yet again gone out, searching for David. It had been like that the past couple of weeks. Elrod would go to work and would be late home because he would go look out in the streets for David. One time he had even considered searching in the swamp, but he had dropped that idea. "We have warned David about going to places like those...he knows better than that...and besides..I doubt my old plantimals would recognise me." He had told her.  
  
"Elrod...please be OK...." she whispered. "We have been through so much....we canÂ´t give up now that we are so far...." absently, she placed a paw on her stomach. She had news to tell Elrod....and she would do it when he came home.  
  
For some reason she had gotten a nausea, and she had found herself sprinting to the bathroom, "delivering" her breakfeast. Elrod had been so concerned for her that for the first time in a long time, he had taken care of her and the chores in the house, while he at the same time went to work. In the end he had suggested that she went to see the doctor, and just today the results of the tests had been told.  
  
She was pregnant.  
  
The phone rang, snapping her out of her thoughts. She went over and picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello? Kathy Purvis speaking."  
  
"Mrs. Purvis, this is Dr. Stevenson from MegaKat General Hospital..."  
  
"Yes? Is something wrong?"  
  
"Its about your husband........."  
  
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	4. Chapter 3: The inner struggle

CHAPTER 3: THE INNER STRUGGLE  
  
Elrod groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He looked up and around, blinking in confusion as he saw he was...in a cage? All kinds of smells and sounds surrounded him, as he slowly raised up, grabbing the bars of the cage and looking out. He was in some kind of market where odd creatures with more arms and legs than they had teeth walked around, bargained with other creatures, shouted about what kind of things they sold or where just hanging on corners, smoking on some odd-looking pipes. As Elrod tried to stand up, he was held back by something cold around his ankle. Looking down, he saw he was dressed in nothing but a dirty loinclothe, a chain locked close around his foot, locked to a ring in the floor with no sort of lock.   
"What is this? Where am I?" Elrod muttered, then looked up as some large goblin-creature talked in a gurgling and growling language to a creature with body of man and head of a bull...a minotaurus!  
"Hrrmmm....a bit scrawny, ain't he?" The minotaurus said cooly, stroking his furry chin and glaring at Elrod with deep-black eyes that glittered with dangerous intelligence. The goblin grinned nervously.  
"He may be scrawny milord Tarkan, but he *is* strong! Very good for hard work!" The goblin snapped into the cage and grabbed Elrod by the scruff of his neck and forced his mouth open. The goblins fingers weren't the cleanest and Elrod angrilly bit down *hard*!   
The goblin HOWLED with pain and retreated quickly, nursing his bleeding fingers while the minotaurus was roaring with laughter.  
"And with strong teeth I see! A stubborn little critter, but I'll beat that off him. How much?" The goblin mumbled a price and the minotaur threw a small bag with coins to him. The goblin opened the cage Elrod was in, opening the end of the chain locked to the ring in the floor and yanked in it, pulling Elrod out of the cage and down onto the muddy ground. Elrod yelped at the sudden movement and was pulled roughly to his feet by the minotaurus who at the same time smacked a ice-cold metal-ring around his neck, that was so tight it threatened to strangle him. Elrod gagged as the minotaur roughly pulled in his chain, forcing him to follow.   
"Now, my new slave. First of we are going to get you washed. I hate filthy slaves. And then we will see what you are capable of."  
"My name is not "slave", minotaurus." Elrod growled. The minotaurus stopped and turned around, looking on Elrod with a mixed expression of irritation and amusement.   
"Then if your name is not slave, then what is it?" He asked in a calm, monotone voice.  
"My name is Elrod Purvis, and I am no slave!" Elrod growled, baring his fangs. The minotaurus only snorked with laughter, then snapped out with a enormous hand, clinging hard around Elrods throat and making it difficult to breathe. Before he knew of it, Elrod was dangling above the ground, struggling to get air despite the minotaurs strong grip around his throat.   
"You have no name, pathetic little critter." The minotaurus sneered, showing sharp teeth that was definately not used to chew grass with. "You are my slave, you are to obey every each of my orders. I do not tolerate disobeyment. Espeacially not from a filthy slave like you!" With that, the minotaurus flung Elrod from him. Elrod felt himself hit the muddy ground, a sharp kick to his gut causing him to loose his breathe. A large hand grabbed around his neck and send him hard into a nearby wall.  
A sharp surge of pain, and everything turned black.  
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Kathy placed a slim paw on the glass, looking at the person in the hospital-bed on the other side....  
They had found his car wrecked, and himself unconcious. His legs had been stuck under the board and if a few teenagers hadn´t gotten him out and called the hospital, Elrod would had been killed in the following explosion that emerged when the fire had reached the fuel-tank. How Elrod, who normally was a skilled driver, had crashed was a mystery. They had taken tests and had found no drugs or alcohol in his blood, but a wound in his backhead had witnessed a sort of ambush. The doctors had a theory about that someone had hidden in the back of the car and had attacked from behind, causing the crash...whoever had attacked had gotten away.  
"How is he?" A voice sounded. Kathy turned her head and saw Samantha, Elrods sister. Like her brother, Samantha had tangolden fur and coal-black hair that was tied up in a pony-tail. Her son and Kathy and Elrods nephew, Nicky was by her side, holding her hand. The kitten beamed and waved at Kathy. "Hi aunt Kathy!" Kathy smiled alittle and waved slightly. "Hi Nicky..." She then sighed and looked on Samantha. "He´s in a coma....the doctors don´t know for how long...or if he ever will survive..." the last bit was almost choked out and Kathy turned away, covering her mouth with her hand.  
Samantha sent her sister-in-law a concerned look and glanced down on Nicky.   
"Nicky sweetie why don´t you go over to the play-room?"  
"OK mommy." After Nicky had left, escorted by a friendly nurse, Samantha went over to Kathy and placed a paw on the she-kats quivering shoulder.   
"He´s going to be OK Kathy. He´s a Purvis! And we don´t just give up at once." Kathy managed a small, yet lightly depressed, smile. "I know...I remember when we where in school and there was that contest...Elrod went through hundreds of ideas for a project...and he was glad he made it though he only got a second place and...Samantha, I don´t know what I am going to do!! David is still missing and Elrod...." the situation being too much for her, caused her to break into unbearable tears. Samantha helped her sit down and hugged her gently.  
"He´s going to be OK Kathy....He´s going to be OK...."  
"But what if he isn´t Samantha? I...I don´t want to be alone with our baby...." Samanthas eyes widened slightly.  
"Kathy...your pregnant!?" The she-kat nodded tiredly, wiping away tears.  
"I just found out today....I´m 3 weeks ahead....and I wanted to tell it to Elrod but...." she shook her head. Samantha smiled softly and hugged her. "Everything will be OK Kathy.....It will...."  
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It was night at the hospital. Only a few nurses and doctors where walking around, making sure nothing was wrong with the different patients, young as old. Kathy had returned home while Samantha had stayed to "stand guard". Kathy had promised to take care of Nicky in the meantime. The older she-kat sat, halfdozing in a chair next to Elrods bed when a clatter from the window alerted her. She stood up and looked over at the window, seeing a familiar skeleton-face.  
"Pastmaster!" She whispered and went over, quickly opening the window. The gnomish sorceror hopped down on the floor and growled at a wyvern that was placed in a tree outside the window. "I´ll call for you when I need you." The wyvern hissed and took off.   
"I took off as soon as I got your message." The Pastmaster said calmly, his single eye glowing in the half-darkness of the room. Samantha nodded and sighed. "I hope you can find out what has really happened....."  
"Just make sure I don´t get desturbed." The sorceror mumbled as he headed for the bed. Samantha nodded and pulled a curtain for the glass-door and window in the room, then turned and watched the Pastmaster do his work.  
The sorceror placed his skeleton paws on Elrods chest and closed his eyes, concentrating. A slight chanting escaped his lips and a deep-orange glow surrounded his and Elrods body. He went into Elrods mind, searching through the deepest parts of his subconcious self.....  
Samantha turned around in a snap, hearing a startled gasp from the Pastmaster. "What? What is it!?" She asked. The Pastmaster looked from the kat in the bed, and to the she-kat.   
"Syphon is alive."  
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"So there he was, standing in thin air as if it was solid ground!" Jake said, as he and Chance had returned to the salvage yard. Felina and Callie listened worried as their husbands informed them of their encounted with the Doctor Viper look-alike Nexus.   
"Do you think he could have something to do with Viper?" Felina asked with a frown.   
"Who knows? One thing is certain....he looked like one that could snap over a iron-bar as if it was a dry twig!" Chance muttered, feeling a odd chill up his spine. He could tell it was not the usual chill of excitement he would get, because of an upcomming mission, or the chill he felt when they chased a criminal.   
It was the chill you feel when you are frightened.  
"Well at least that giant worm is gone..." Jake sighed as he cast a glance on the TV, where Ann Gora told about how the enormous swamp-beast had finally gotten done chewing down the tower and had left the same way it had come. By diving into the ground as if it was water.  
"....Several kats are surprised about, how neither the Enforcers or the SWATKATS could handle the mysterious monster. It is a riddle how it appeared and who sent it. Most clues are aimed towards Doctor Viper who no one has heard from in over 6 years, and...what the...?!" Jake, Chance, Callie and Felina gasped as a sudden flash appeared, and saw none other than Nexus. He stood there, smirking arrogantly, his tail going slowly from one side to another. Ann quickly recovered from the surprise and spoke into her mic.  
"This is Ann Gora, Katseye News. It seems as if the guilty returns to the scene of the crime! Ladies and gentlekats, it looks like Doctor Viper is back and-...."  
"Ms. Gora, I hate to dissssappoint you, but I am not Doctor Viper. The SWATKATS already know that, and now every viewer of Katseye Newsss knows as well." Nexus said with a calm grin. Ann blinked surprised.  
"If you are not Doctor Viper, then who are you? Do you have any relation to him perhaps? Family, friend or rival?" Nexus narrowed his eyes with a cold glimpt.   
"I am in no way related to that foul reptile more than I am a socalled creepling. I would rather let myself infect with the plague before I would become friend with him, and rival? What is there to be rival of when there isn´t one?" Ann got surprised once more. Being her daredevil self, she reached her mic towards Nexus.  
"Are you saying you perhaps have killed Doctor Viper? Or are you keeping him prisoner?" Nexus let out a snort of laughter.  
"Oh he is alive. But for how long depends on how he can stand the inner struggle."  
"What is that suppose to mean?" Nexus' face cracked in a cruel grin.  
"His body is in this world, while his soul is in the demon-world. His body is alive, as long as his soul can stand against the torments in the other world. Allow me to demonstrate!!"   
Before Ann could react, Nexus snapped out and grabbed her by her neck. He lifted her up in the air and let out a odd chanting. Ann's eyes widened, her pupils turning small and her breath came in struggling gasps. Nexus grinned, keeping his grasp, ignoring her struggling. His grin widened as her struggling ceased, and her body went limp, then he dumped her on the ground. He glared coldly into the camera.  
"Let this be known, MegaKat City! No one can stand against the power of Nexus, the servant of Hei Ying!"  
Then he vanished into thin air. 


	5. Chapter 4: What you fear the most (Warni...

CHAPTER 4: WHAT YOU FEAR THE MOST........  
(Warning: Contains blood and gore)  
  
Kathy sat up with a gasp. She had been awakened by a sound, but what it was she didn´t know. She got up from bed and quietly checked through the drawer in her nighttable, looking for the gun she had there. Finding it, she grabbed and loaded it, cringing slightly at the loud *click* it gave. She silently sneaked over the floor, out of her bedroom door and down through the corridor. Perhaps it was a mugger? You could never know in these days.   
As she sneaked down the corridor, she notised the light was on in the livingroom. What mugger was stupid enough to try and steal something from a house in the dead of the night with lights on? Well stupid or not, she would tell him a thing or two...  
"Hello!?" She shouted. There was no answer.  
"Hello!?? Listen, show yourself! I got a gun and I am not afraid to use it!!" when no one answered her, she narrowed her eyes. Fear twisted a knot in her gut, but she ignored it. She had been through alot of stress lately, due to about the thing that her son had been gone for almost a month and her husband was in a coma. She came closer and closer to the livingroom and when reaching the door that was halfopen, she reached out to the doorknob and slammed the door open, aiming it at who ever would be in the room. She blinked in surprise when she saw a baby-kitten on the floor. The kitten could be no more than about 3 months or so, and had its back turned to her, playing with something and giggling merrily, too occupied of whatever was its toy to note the she-kat aiming a gun at it. Kathy sighed and smiled, half in relief and half in feeling ridicilous. She had been so nervous because of a kitten?   
Slowly, she walked over and kneeled down next to kitten, careful not to frighten it. But the kitten only took one look at her, gurgled, then returned to whatever it was playing with.  
"Heyyy...." Kathy softly cooed at the kitten. "where's your mommy? Huh?" the kitten ignored her, only casting her a small glance once in a while, for then to return to its plaything. Curiosity stroked Kathy and with a small chuckle, she reached out a paw and put it on the kittens shoulder to see what it was so busy with...  
"Whats that your playing with?" she cooed. The kitten murmured and leaned back, halfturning to look at her. Kathy's eyes widened when seeing that the kitten was playing with. Between the kittens legs lay the remains of a 4-week old foster, freshly ripped out from where ever it came from. A sudden pain went through Kathy's gut, and looking down she saw blood over her midriff and stomach, staining her white nightgown. With a cry of terror, she fell backwards ignoring how she dropped the gun, and crawled across the floor until her back was against the wall. The kitten only giggled as it watched Kathy clench her arms around her stomach, as she screamed, and screamed and screamed......  
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It was silent in the room, silence ringing like a bell between the kats gathered in the room. Kathy was seated next to Samantha, rocking silently back and forth, clenching her stomach and whimpering, stripes from tears staining her cheeks. Samantha softly whispered to her, as she held her paws on her shoulders.  
"Kathy take it easy...there's no blood...there's no ripped out foster...." Kathy only let out choked sobs in response, as her nephew Nicky looked on her with huge worried eyes.  
"Mommy, whats wrong with aunt Kathy?" He asked quietly. Samantha shook her head in response.  
"I don´t know Nicky....its nothing for you to worry about, really....go out and play or watch TV or something...."   
"OK mommy....." Nicky answered silently and slipped out of the room. He was not so old, but he knew when it was best for him to leave and let the grownups talk. Mike, Samanthas husband angrilly stood up and began to pace around.  
"This is insane! Everyone gets so worked up because of some ridicilous nightmare and-...."  
"In times like these, this kind of nightmare is not to be taken un-serious." The Pastmaster said calmly, seated in an armchair next to John. His single eye was narrowed and glowing. Mike snarled in irritation.  
"What would you know, eh? Eh?! All you do is blab about mythical creatures, spells and the gods know what else!!" The Pastmaster fumed and stood up on the chair, glaring on Mike.  
"You dare taunt me about my magic?!" he snarled, baring his fangs. Mike hissed, his tail poofing like a bottle-brush.  
"I can do more than that! I-"  
"ENOUGH!! Both of you stop!! Your not making anything easier!!" Samantha bellowed at sudden, silencing the 2 kats. Mike stared on her as if she was insane. The skeleton-sorceror only let out a grunt and sat down with a small bump again, crossing his skeleton arms with a scowl on his face. Samantha sighed and stood up as Mike sat down as well.  
"Look, all I´m saying is, we need to solve this puzzle!! The events that has happened must have some sort of connection!!" The gold-furred she-kat huffed as she began to pace, summoning up what had been happening....  
"First, David mutates and disappears, and he has been gone for weeks now. Elrod gets invovled in an accident and thrown into a coma. And now Kathy has had some freaky nightmare that invovles some sort of death-sign...maybe a profecy about someones upcomming demise...." she stopped and looked on the Pastmaster.  
"What do you think Pastmaster? Does it make sence or am I sounding completely insane?" The gnomish sorceror stood up and jumped down from his place on the chair and huffed. "It makes alot of sence my dear Samantha, but it is also unlogical...."  
"....says the troll who mostly goes more with magic than logic(1)!" Mike interrupted in a disdainful tone. Before he could react, a purple beam zapped out from the Pastmasters watch and struck his face, framing it in a cloud of black smoke. When the smoke vanished, a muzzle-gag of iron was placed tightly around his face. Both Samantha and John broke in fits of laughter, and even Kathy let out a small smile.  
"You asked for that one Mike!!" John laughed and flopped back on the couch, howling with laughter. The Pastmaster smirked as Mike furiously tried to get rid of the muzzle-gag then turned back to Samantha.  
"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I did mean what I said about this whole thing seeming so...unlogical....." he sighed and looked down, stroking his chin with his skeleton paw.  
"But what can we do about it?" Samantha asked tiredly. "Elrods soul is trapped in some demon-dimension, and if Kathy gets more nightmares like this one....she will end up with a nervous breakdown and perhaps abortion of the baby! And I don´t mean with a doctors interruption!" The sorceror only sighed.  
"I am only too aware of that, my dear....only too much aware...."  
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Dark clouds flowed across the sky, as if predicting what was to come. On top of a hill near MegaKat City, a lonely rider was posted. It was Nexus, his entire body-positure in a relaxed state as he was seated on his enormous black stallion, Xerzes. The black stallion fumed and thrashed slightly with its head as it could sense the tension in the air from the storm that was to come. It stopped when it's rider placed a gloved hand on its neck, sliding gently through the thick black mane.  
"Easy Xerzes. It is beginning....." Nexus muttered and looked up hearing the sound of a thundercrack.  
The black and dark-grey clouds where swirling around like water in a glass, lightnings flickering across them now and then, like white or ice-blue ghost-fingers, seeking for something unknown to the common viewer.   
A tension was in the air as Nexus waited. The stallion fumed, thrashing with its head once again, and when a lightning struck the ground close to it, it reared and neighed, its front hooves kicking in the air. Nexus soothed it as it settled on the ground again, muttering gently words to it. He looked up and into the sky, his eyes shining like twin stars of gold, flashing as he grinned. A figure was being formed in the clouds above the city. Slowly, the other clouds pulled back, swirling like a vortex around the formation comming to life. One who saw this could only freeze in terror by seeing the scull in the sky, its mouth opened in a silent cackling as if predicting of what horrors to come. Mercifully unbeknownst to the katizens of the city at this very minute, other cloud formations alike where to be spotted else-where.  
A pouncing rat where to see above the United Kingdom and Europe.  
A horrifying thin stray of a dog gnawing like crazy on a meaty bone above Africa, South-America and Brazil.  
And a laughing hyena above the asian countries, India, China, Indonesia and Japan.  
The scull where only to be found above the United States.  
"Soon the other Knights will have found their shelter." Nexus muttered, his hand sliding across the scythe in his hand. The black stallion fumed and thrashed slightly with it's head.  
"Yes Xerzes. The time is nearing. The *end* of time!!!"   
A cruel laughter rang across the city, freezing the blood cold of those who heard it.  
The end of time was closing in.  
The time of the apocalypse. 


	6. Chapter 5: Dreams

CHAPTER 5: DREAMS

When he awoke, he thought he had gone blind, due to that it was pitchblack around him. Unsure, Elrod scanned his surroundings and found himself tied to a wall, chains locked around his wrists and ankles. He didn´t remember he had gotten here, but he remembered the last thing that had happened. That minotaur that had bought him had thrown him into a wall and then.....nothing. Elrod groaned slightly in pain feeling something wet and sticky at the back of his head. No doubt about HOW powerfully the minotaur had thrown him.

"What is this place?" he muttered lowly to himself. "Am I dead? Is this Hell??"

"No. This is not Hell. It is something far worse." A dark voice sounded, a cold cruel laughter following suit. Elrods head snapped up. He knew that laughter and could recognise it anywhere he went, no matter if he was. His eyes widened seeing a familiar form step out of the darkness.

The blood-red fur, the muscular body, the white forelock, and the deep-black eyes narrowed being accompanied by a cold, evil grin showing large sharp fangs....

"Whats wrong old *friend*!?" Syphon smirked. "Aren´t you happy to see me? How is Samantha and that rotten carcass she calls a husband?" The Marekat grinned as he extended the claws on his right hand. "But you....you look like a mess! Let me make you feel better!!" Syphon stretches back his arm and slashed out, striking Elrod across his chest. Elrod shrieked in pain and began to struggle wildly in his chains. Syphon only grinned at that. "Oh yes, DO struggle! It makes it more painful for you, and more fun for me!" he laughed, then yelped as some sort of force whammed into him, sending him into the wall next to Elrod.

"Thats enough Syphon. He is not here for your pleasure." A voice hissed. Elrod weakly managed to lift his head, his eyes widening as he saw the owner of the voice.

Tall, with skin blacker than a night without moon or stars and enormous wings spread out in a sign of anger as a pair of deep-golden eyes with only a needle-thin slit for a pupil regarded the fallen marekat with a glare of anger and disdain. Only one name came to Elrods mind seeing her, but that was just enough.....

"Hei Ying" He whispered hoarsely.

The dark goddess shifted her gaze to him and made a small calm smirk. "Your presuming is correct, you whom they call Purvis, or should I say....Viper." Due to old reflexes, Elrod gritted his teeth of being reminded of his past. Not a thing he had ever wished for.....the dark goddess let out a harsh cold laughter as Syphon had managed to get up and take a place beside her.

"Wh..what do you want from me?" Elrod whispered hoarsely, feeling his heart speed up. The dark goddess let out a fume of disdain.

"I don´t want anything. I already got it!" Hei Ying smirked. With a wave from her paw, a servant looking like the unlucky cross between a rat and a greyhound came walking with a box in its arms, reaching it towards the goddess whom it served as it kneeled down. Hei Ying smirked coldly as she picked out a orb of the box and held it towards the goldenfurred tomkat.

Elrod frowned, watching a sort of grey and black smoke whirl around unside the orb. Then his eyes widened seeing a all too familiar face. 

"Viper." Elrod whispered, feeling a all too shiver down his spine. Syphons laughter scratched cruelly in his ears.

"Oh indeed you are the fool I remember, with or without your scales!!" the Marekat laughed, laughing so hard he clenched his stomach. The dark Goddess only stood calmly, the orb in her claws and fully showing the person in it. Elrod frowned, seeing this was not Viper! But someone else......Hei Ying said:

"He is Nexus. The death-knight of the apocalypse. Now watch! For he is to lead his brothers into this battle!"

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Nexus looked up towards the sky as the thunder was raging around him. He smirked as he saw 3 portals opening, each of them crackling with a speciel form of electricity. 3 horses as black as the hell they came from, with glowing red eyes and fire bursting out from their nostrils and mouths came galloping out and into the stormy sky. Nexus' own stallion Xerxes neighed, recognising his brothers. For like those 3, he was a hell-horse. Nexus smirked and swung his scythe in greeting to the 3 riders riding on the horses. In name, they where his brothers. They where War, rising his bow and arrow that spread chaos wherever the arrow would land. Plague, who´s whip would infect the air itself as it cracked loudly in competition with the thunderstorm around them. And finally, Famine, being his own thin self, so skinny it would seem like he could snap over like a dry branch from one second to another. He did not need a weapon, so he greeted by raising a glove-clad hand, waving to Nexus, the Death-knight of the apocalypse.

"Good hunt and good night brotherssss of mine." Nexus greeted, nodding to the other 3 as they landed. 

"Good hunt and good night brother of us." They responded.

"Anything new with you Nexus? Found anything we can dig our teeth in?" Famine grinned, showing lines of rotting teeth. Nexus curled his upper lip in a grin.

"Not yet Famine. But do not worry. Tonight, we will begin our reign of terror. The beginning of the apocalypsssse."

"And your father?" War asked calmly. "What about him?" Nexus eyes glowed in deep anger.

"Him? Heh, Ssssyphon has taken care of him. Hissss body is here in this puny world of mortalssss, while his soul is trapped in the dungeonsss of her dark majesty!" He laughed, Xerxes neighing as if giving credit. He then slashed his scythe through the air in a commanding movement.

"BE OFF MY BROTHERSSSS!! BE OFF AND BRING THE END TO THISSS WORLD!!" 

With a ice-cold laughter ringing through the air, the riders spread to each corner of the world, their horses neighing all the way, their hoofs competing with the thunder around them.

Nexus was heading straight for MegaKat City.

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The orb turned dark, leaving Elrod blinded for a few seconds. He didn´t realise he had tears in his eyes until he began blinking. Nexus....the night of the apocalypse....was David...his own son!

"You should never had held back when he asked about yourself." Hei Ying chuckled, holding the orb as carefully as one would hold a baby. Her black claws caressed the cold glass-surface, her eyes glowing in the dark. "Why..." Elrod whispered, tears threatening to blind him.

"Why have you taken my son....." The Dark Goddess smirked.

"He is no more your son, Elrod Purvis. He is my servant. The Death-knight of the apocalypse." She laughed coldly.

"It will be thrilling to see what is happening to your dear wife!" Elrods head snapped up.

"No! Please! Don´t harm Kathy!" he begged and pleaded her not to hurt his beloved, but she only laughed and smacked him in the face. With a silent whimpering plea, he collapsed in his chains, fully unconcious. Syphon looked on Hei Ying.

"What are we to do now?" Hei Ying narrowed her eyes.

"First. We are to get rid of a old foe of mine. The Master of Past and Present!"

Syphon glared angrilly at the unconcios tomkat.

"And him?" The goddess smirked coldly.

"You will have your fun with him Syphon. When *I* say so!"

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Kathy was dreaming. She lay asleep on the couch, softly snoozing with a book resting on her hip. But alas, she was not dreaming pleasantly. She saw her husband caught by a creature that could only be comming from ones worst nightmare...one that apparently sold slaves. She was the silent audience. She could hear and see them, but she could not touch them or get their attention. She had tried that. Seeing Elrod caught in a cage, looking as if all hope was lost was a pain to her heart. She wanted to reach through the bars and take his hands in hers and hold them tight, in a way so no force could separate them....but it was no use. Her hands went right through, causing her to gasp. Elrod looked up, but not at her, more at the slave-man who had apparently sold him to a minotaur, his golden eyes showing a cruel and coldhearted hatred. The golden-furred she-kat snarled seeing the cruel, rough treatment the minotaur gave Elrod, then followed them as the minotaur dragged Elrod off by some chains. 

The most horrifying was when the minotaur punished Elrod for something not meant to happen. Kathy gasped, seeing the large minotaur grab the much smaller kat and beat him around, slamming into a wall and into the mud. She cringed visibly, swearing to herself she could hear Elrods rib crack. Then the minotaur lifted up the now unconcious kat and dragged off with him until they reached a large castle. When Kathy tried to enter, the door was blocked. She hammered with her fists on the rough wood, screaming for them to open up the door, so she could see her husband. Then as if the door had grown tired of her knocking and screaming, it creaked open, the hinges squealing like thousands of tortured souls. But when trying to go through, thousands of invisible hands grabbed and pulled her out through the door, hoarse whispering voices sounding like from ancient times whispering to her....

"No not the time..."

"Go away!"

"You don´t belong here..."

Kathy shrieked "NO!" seeing as the invisible hands where pushing her towards the dungeon. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn´t free herself from her invisible attackers and found herself thrown into a cold and dark cell. The door closed behind her, and before she could reach out, it slammed shut with a....

*KABAAAAM!!!!!*

The golden-furred she-kat shrieked as she sat up, feeling tears on her cheeks...she had been crying in her sleep....sobbing, she wiped her tears away, and looked out through the window, seeing the thunderstorm outside. A lightning had struck a tree nearby and now it was brightly lid, the flames eating of the wood like vultures from a carcass....

Kathy shuddered, then jerked up when another lightning struck, followed by a eager banging on the door.

"Who could it be at this hour?" She thought, as she walked through the dark house. The power had gone dead and she had not tried to check the system yet.

As she went to the door, she could note a small figure through the rippled glass. Somehow, she had a odd feeling about this....

The feeling was quickly forgotten when opening the door, revealing the door-knocker.

"DAVID!!"

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	7. Chapter 6: Missing Heart

CHAPTER 6: MISSING HEART

A/N: At LAST I have gotten the next chapter done! I am SO sorry it took so long people!! But I've been having a mean case of writers block on this one until just recently ^^;; Hope you enjoy!

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The Master of Past and Present was resting. His mind wandered as his left hand skidded thoughtfully over a orb. As he touched that, he could follow every living beings movements, thoughts, times, doings...everything.

He recalled when he had created the MareKats centuries ago. He had gained his powers by taking the place of Kilira, the Goddess of time. By taking her place, he had also gotten several new abilities he did not think possible. But the most powerful and dangerous ones, had been the gift to create and destroy......

"What a fool I was, when I created the MareKats....young and irresponsible...." the mage sighed and rested his head on his chin. "So many things have happened...another page turns in the Great Book...." he gazed into the orb, seeing a image of a golden-furred kitten and the Apocalypse knight of Death, Nexus.....

"And a parted soul will be in need of being joined once more...."

"And all you do is fire off riddles and junk!!" A familiar voice snarled, cutting into the Master of Past and Presents thoughts. Jerking up from his throne, the mage saw his own creation Syphon, his face with a enormous grin. Behind him was a dark silhouette he knew all too well...

"Hei Ying. You have returned..." he stated calmly, his voice expressionless and his blood-red eyes glowing in alert. The dark goddess smirked, her wings folded around her shoulders like a cape.

"Ahh so you have not forgotten me. Good!" she sneered. Before the mage could react, Syphon pounced and grabbed him, flinging him into the ground. The collision with the ground knocked all air out of him and he let out a cry of pain as Syphon smashed his elbow into the mage's ribcage. How come he could feel pain!!?? He was a God, he couldn't...

"You are no God, mage!" Hei Ying stated icily, and smirked as she held up a orb. "This look familiar?" The ancient mage's eyes widened. "The Orb of J'kahral!!" he whispered hoarsely. "It contains my soul...my life-source..."

"And your death..." Syphon hissed coldly. Hei Ying grinned evilly, her eyes showing no mercy.

"I have not forgotten what you did to my sister Kilira. I am still amazed how Father Time and Mother Universe could allow you in our circle for your crime. But nonetheless....You shall not be in my way anymore!!" the orb began to glow and flash in wild rainbowish colors, the surface cracking into web-thin lines until....

*CRASH*

Pain rushed through the mage's body as his powers where shattered, his mouth opened as to scream though no sound emerged. His fur began to turn snow white and fell off his body in large bits until there was only his skin left on his body, tightening over his bones like old papyrus....it gave dry snapping noises as it tore apart, revealing the shiny white bones, who quickly turned gray, then black and soon pulverized, vanishing in the cold winds blowing around the 2 immortal beings...

The Master of The Past And Present was dead.

"We have completed what we came for." Hei Ying said with a smirk. "Come Syphon. We have much more to do." Syphon cackled as he followed his mistress.

The cape that the ancient mage had worn was lifted by a unseen wind and soon vanished in the surrounding fog.....

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Kathy looked worried as the doctor was looking David, shining into his eyes with a small light, checking his ears, his tongue and throat and his heartbeat. The kitten only sat still, ears drooped and his eyes tiredly staring at the floor. He politely answered the doctors questions about how he had eaten, slept, if he had been hurting or if someone had hurt him....

"What is wrong with him doctor?" Kathy asked quietly when David had gone out to the bathroom so the doctor could get a urine-test. The blackfurred kat sighed and rubbed his eyes, then looked on her through his glasses.

"I am not sure what is wrong with him, Mrs. Purvis. But it could seem as if...he is suffering from a sort of melancholy....which seems to be taking away his lifesource like a sort of cancer...its not cancer, I can assure you that....but it "eats" of his lifesource, and...it might end with that he needs treatment by professional people...I am sorry....Just continue to give him the pills as I instructed, let him sleep and rest. If something happens, you know my number..."

Kathy looked thoughtfully ahead as she and David where heading home. The kitten sat quietly in his seat, staring blank ahead and not saying a word. Kathy finally decided on something she had thought about for a long time....

"David....what is wrong with you?" She said quietly. The kitten raised his head and looked on her, his green eyes having a dozy empty look in them. Kathy frowned with worry....

"You don't eat much...you only sleep more and more..." she said in almost a whisper...."And you've become so thin...."

"I've lost something mommy...." David said quietly in a odd sad voice, looking down on his hands again.

"Lost something?" David nodded. Slowly, he placed a hand on his chest, staring vaguely ahead.

"It's something in here. Like I've lost a bit...of my heart...." he whispered. Kathy frowned, and asked:

"Your heart? What do you mean sweetheart?"

"I don't know...but sometimes..it hurts..." David whispered in a hoarse voice as if about to cry. "It hurts mommy.....it hurts badly!!" he suddenly whimpered, hugging himself tightly, squinting his eyes shut. Kathy then did what a mother does best. She pulled in to the side of the road, stopped the car and got out and went over to the passengerside, opened the door and hugged David close, softly stroking his backhead as he cried and cried and cried.

"It hurts mommy...it huu-uu-uuuurts!!" He whimpered, hugging her tightly. Kathy felt tears come to her eyes as she listened and directly felt her sons inner turmoil and hugged him tightly.

"I know baby...I know it hurts...shhhh.....everything is going to be just fine....." David looked at her, his cheek-fur matted by his tears.

"No mommy, it won't be just fine....if...if I don't get back..wh..what I lost....I..I...." Kathy hugged him tight.

"We will get back what you lost...somehow...I promise David...I promise...."

--------------------------------------------------

*MEANWHILE, IN ANOTHER WORLD......*

The screams from the wounded and dying rang through the air like a grim composed music, accompanied by the screeches of the vultures and other creatures that devour the body of the dead. In the middle of the battlefield, on top of a hill standing next to his black Hell-horse Xerxes, stood Nexus in his dark glory. A black cape was swept around his shoulders being lifted by a gently blowing wind that flew across the battle-field bringing a stench of rotten meat from undead soldiers and bodies that had lied dead on the battle-field for ages. The hood of the cape was pulled down over his face so you could just see the cold glow of his golden eyes. One hand clutched the cape around him to seal his body from the cold air, the other grabbing his scythe resting against his shoulder, as the Deathknight looked over the battlefield, eyes narrowed....thinking....searching....

Finding what he seeked, he began climbing down the hill, calmly stepping on or over the dead and dying bodies spread around on what was once a beautiful golden field....the ground would never bring anything or anyone more corn for bread centuries into the future.

Nexus stopped next to the body of a human man, who's body was pierced through by the spear of an ogre. The ogre itself lay a few miles from its victim, its head bitten off by a dragon just before the dark armies had retreated or surrendered. The human had been the leader of the armies of the light, their advisor, helper, and king. The human managed to open his eyes, looking up weakly on Nexus who calmly stood and looked at him.

"I....it's you...." the human whispered hoarsely, lifting a iron-gloved hand and pointed at him.

"You....the black knight....keeper of souls....bringer of death....." Nexus only nodded once.

"You have fighted bravely in this battle. But I am only to bring an end to your suffering. Not to bring you to paradise...."

"Then who is...?" the king wanted to know, but Nexus brought him to silence with a shook of his head.

"I am not to tell you or to know myself. I am but a servant of my goddess, and that is enough. Now rest...you have fighted long enough. Leave the cocoon that is your body...." 

Gently, the Death-knight bend over and placed his hand over the kings eyes, closing them forever. He then took his hand and helped the spirit to stand. Then he turned and left. A sound of bells reached his ears, and he knew the king was on his way to the right place.....

"*Aaargh!!*"

Pain jerked through his body, spreading from his chest and out to every fiber of his body, causing him to tumble over, tripping over the body of a goblin and land on his stomach on the dead ground. There, he lay for several minutes, gasping and wheezing. Coughing, he managed to stand up, leaning against his scythe as if it was a staff to support him. Wiping his mouth with one hand, he saw he had coughed up green blood.

"That is the 5th time this has happened..." he hissed to himself. "What is happening to me??!!" 

Slowly, he managed to stand up straight and made his way to Xerxes who came walking over to him, shaking his large head with a fume. Slowly and painfully, Nexus crawled up on the Hell-horses back, then was soon making his way back to where he had come from. To the world of Kats.

------------------------------------------------

The Swampcreature lay with its brothers in the murky waters of the swamp, all awaiting orders from their goddess and creator. It's eyes where closed like they where when it was asleep. Then a sudden singing tone rang through the air. It was like a mixture of pain, pleasure and death, all mixed into one long tone that would have driven a mortal kat insane. But to the beasts, it was a sweet lullaby, soon lulling them all into a rest that would last for another million years. Not even Hei Ying would be able to awake them now. On top of a hill, 2 figures where standing. One being alittle taller than the other, but the age was a great difference between them. 

"There, their all asleep again." the kitten said, putting down the flute he had been playing on. Due to him being half Marekat, the tones of the flute had not affected him. The Pastmaster nodded contented and looked at the field of enormous Swamp-beasts.

"Very well done Nicky. Now. For the next step...." Nicky stepped back alittle as the sorcerer took out his watch and began to chant. The kitten had heard the Pastmaster chant spells many a time since he was a tiny baby, but this one was new to him. He had become a sort of apprentice to the ancient sorcerer because of the favor he had done years ago for Nicky's parents.

As the Pastmaster chanted, a faint purple-ish glow surrounded the many sleeping Swampcreatures, the scales that covered them slow, very slowly turning into solid rock. Nicky watched fascinated as the Pastmaster was now slowly turning the Swampcreatures into nothing but large enormous boulders, the weight of the massive colossus pulling them down into the wet soil. By the time the Pastmaster had finished his spell, every each of what had once been a Swampcreature were now nothing but solid rocks and boulders, spread out in the entire field. 

"Yay, we stopped the swampcreatures!!!" the kitten cheered, jumping happily on the spot. The ancient sorcerer smirked, yet he had a dark expression on his skeleton features.

"We may have stopped a few of her Dark Majesty's servants, but we have not won the war, child." he said darkly. "Come. We still have much to do." Nicky nodded and followed the Pastmaster as he opened a portal that would lead them both to the Pastmaster's tower.

Somewhere far away from the city, Nexus was resting, his back against a tree, both of his hands having a solid grip around the deathly looking scythe he kept for a weapon. His horse Xerxes was calmly eating leaves from a bush, working as a guard-dog for his master. Should he be disturbed, Xerxes would warn his master.

But something else was on the snakekats mind than keeping an eye out for danger. His mind was showing him memories of different things that had happened during his training as he was the Grim Reapers apprentice. In the beginning, everything had been extremely difficult. Something had been wrong… The Grim Reaper had told him it was because of the goodness of his heart, that Nexus (who back then in a way still had been David Purvis) was unable to become a true Death-knight. Nexus' teacher had lectured to him about how one was not suppose to feel soft about death. Granted, death was a natural part of life, but when you are suppose to bring the dead ones soul to either Heaven or Hell, you couldn't afford to become soft and irresponsible, and thereby giving the dying one some more time to live in. There HAD been rare cases where one or two Reapers had been soft and had spared victims from horrible car-accidents, crashes, overdose with drugs…but only for a short amount of time. Sooner or later, there was no hope for the person who's soul was to go to the Pearly Gates or the Fires of Sin.

And thus, David Purvis had to go under the N'mhraa ceremony. Every living being, from the tiniest sandcorn to the largest oak-tree had 2 sides of themselfs, a good and a evil one. Enchanted into a magical sleep, David was placed on a stone-alter, the Grim Reaper watching over him, as one of the many incubi-demons performed the ceremony with the Shadow-Knife. 

The Shadow-Knife was known to be one of the greatest and most powerful magic objects you could find anywhere in every known or unknown universe. Kings and emperors had battled to win its power, Gods and Godesses had destroyed worlds in order to have in safe keep, and demons and creatures of Hell had laughed in glee whenever the Shadow-Knife was brought to their sharp claws. Indeed it was a powerful weapon in the right hands….

When Nexus had woken up, he had been on the same alter, still in his mutated form….but he had changed. He felt stronger…pulsating of a inner power….of evil. Sitting up, he saw a demon servant with a kitten in its arms. A golden-furred, black haired kitten. The good side of him…the part that was David.

"Perhaps that isssss what is wrong with me…" the reptilian Death-knight thought as he opened his eyes slightly. "Part of me….my good part….is misssssing….that isss why I have not been too well lately…" he stood up and called for Xerxes that throtted over to him, awaiting for his master to get up in the saddle. As Nexus swung up in the saddle, he mentally sent Xerxes a image of their destination. The Library of Ch'thulthru. The scrolls in that particular library would tell him what he needed to know….


	8. Chapter 7: Awakening

CHAPTER 7: AWAKENING  
  
A/N: New chapter, yaddayaddayadda, copyright etc.etc.etc. Enjoy, Read and Review!!   
  
-------------------  
He didn't know how long he had been there. It seemed like an entire milennium since he had last  
seen daylight. His mouth and throat felt like someone had poured sand down into his mouth and   
had let it dry out, in order to prevent him from getting any sort of liquid in his body. He had   
not slept for days either...for one thing, the chains gnawed into his skin, particularly the one   
around his neck. If anything, Elrod would give everything for water and rest, even if only a   
teaspoon of water or 5 minutes of rest. His body, his soul, his entire essence was weakened.   
Weakened from the lack of sleep, lack of water and nourishment, and weakened from the endless   
torture.  
It had all become a painful routine. His tormentor would appear the same way like he always did.  
Always in a dark cloud of stinking black smoke that would threaten to burn Elrods lungs,   
nostrils and throat. Syphon would only laugh and taunt him about mortals weaknesses when it came  
to need of oxygen, slapping Elrod across his face, *always* making sure his claws were out so   
they would create large deep scratches.  
Then he would begin the torturing.   
In the beginning, all Syphon had done was provoking him. He would send flashes of what was   
happening at home...how David had returned home....Kathy's pregnancy....the Pastmasters seeking  
for a way to stop all this...but slowly the flashing images had turned worse...David was slowly  
fading away...Kathy was having psycopathic nightmares that threatened to drive her insane....  
Then Syphon had stopped with the sightings and went over to direct, unmerciless pain.  
The MareKat used his claws as his preferrable torturing device, slashing and scratching with   
coldblooded hate glowing in his piercing black eyes. He would always start with ripping and   
tearing in Elrods body, ripping off enormous patches of fur and skin, sometimes parts of muscles   
and sinew....but Syphons most preferrable kind, was to directly slam his hands, with claws  
outstretched into Elrods body, gripping a random organ, and tearing it out along with a piercing   
scream of agony from the chained kat. This would continue for what seemed centuries. Then the   
MareKat would disappear the same way he had come, leaving a what seemed dead kat dangling from   
his chains. But Elrod was far from dead, no matter how much he wished he was.  
Every night (or what he assumed as night), several imps and demons came crawling out from the   
shadows in the cell. They would gather up the organs ripped out from the kats body, carefully   
restore them if they had gotten any bad damages, then replace them inside Elrods body. They   
would either use spells or regular needles and thread to get the enormous gaps in the kats gut   
and stomach closed up once more. Whatever method they used, it was always painful, and the   
demons and imps always chittered and laughed in their own disgusting language when a cry of pain  
and agony escaped Elrods lips.   
Once their work was done, they would take off back into the shadows, only to return the next   
night, and the next one again. It was a endless circle of death, torture, misery and pain. And   
Elrod wished deeply that it would all end. But no matter what gods or godesses he prayed to, it   
was no use. None of them seemed to hear him, or they just simply ignored him. What difference   
would it make if another of them mortals were dying or were being killed by a revengeful night-  
mare-creature?  
Day had returned once more, Elrod groaning as the stitches the imps had done were stinging badly  
around where they had sewn him. He weakly looked up as the door to his cell opened, 2 guards walking  
in. One of them unchained Elrod, the other grabbing him roughly as he almost collapsed. None of   
them said anything as they dragged him off, out of the cell and down the corridor. Elrod didn't  
bother to ask either. His throat was far too raw from hours of screaming in agony, too raw for  
him to let out as much as a squeak. He looked up weakly as the guards dragged him into a room  
that was undoubtly a torture-chamber. Chains with spikes where hanging from the ceiling, an  
Iron-Maiden stood up the wall, opened so you could see the rotten leftovers of a former unlucky  
prisonor who had felt the Iron-maidens deathly embrace.  
"Wh-..what i-is going on?" the weakened kat managed to croak out as the guards chained him up  
against a wall, his front facing the wall and his back exposed to the guards.   
"Lord Syphon has other business to attend to. So he told us to do his work." one of the guards  
growled, laughing roughly along with his comrade. They both went over to a door, and managing to  
turn his head far enough, Elrod saw the door open into a room filled with all kinds of devices.  
The spanish cape, whips, morning-stars, the wooden horse...he shuddered by the thought of how  
these devices would be used on him.   
"I should've never lied to my son..."   
Guilt tied a rough and painful knot in Elrods chest and hot tears burned in his eyes. A sudden  
pain struck across his exposed back and a strangled cry of pain and surprise escaped from his  
mouth. Rough laughter from the guards sounded behind him and another surge of pain went over his  
back. Turning his head, he saw the guards stand with whips. One of them swinged the whip in a  
way that almost made Elrod loose his eye had he not turned away in time. The guards talked about  
various things in their own gurgling language as their whips danced over the kats back, Elrod  
screaming and writhering in torment from each time one of them striked.  
Hours passed by. The worst hours in Elrods entire excistance. Sweat streamed down his face and  
entire body, the salty drops stinging in the whip-wounds that where crisscrossing over his back  
and neck. His breath seemed to crawl in and out of his lungs in what was at the edge of what  
trouble an astmathic person had, whenever said person had not gotten a suck from his inhilator.  
"One more round and we call it a day." one of the guards chuckled darkly. The other one snickered   
and went off, returning with a metal bucket a few minutes later. Grabbing down into it, the other  
guard retreived a sort of white powder. Elrod didn't register what was going on and nor did he   
care. All he wished for was that the Gods...ANY god...would hear his prayers and end his torment  
with the sweet and merciful embrace of death. A bloodcurling screech was torn from his throat as  
one of the guards threw the powder onto his wounded back. Salt! His tormentors where throwing  
salt in his wounds!! Tears of pain and torment streamed down Elrods cheeks as he screamed in his  
torment, the guards either throwing salt onto his wounds or slashing across his back with the whips.  
Finally, he was unable to take anymore and collapsed in his chains, dangling like a broken marionette.  
"He's done for." the first guard chuckled, lunging a kick onto the kats back, only receiving a   
shuddering whimper in response. The other guard nodded and unlocked the chains, his comrade grabbing  
one of the tortured kats arms, roughly pulling him to his feet. The other one grabbed his other arm,  
and they both dragged him back to his cell. When they reached it, they didn't bother to chain him  
up again. All they did was throw him into the cell, then close and lock the door. Elrod tumbled  
across the floor and opened his mouth in a silent painful cry of torment. The kat who had been so  
many things...a scientist, a criminal, a husband and a father...had been reduced to nothing but a   
tormented play-thing for a psycopathic nightmare-creature. A broken figure in the claws of a enemy,  
that Dark Kat himself would never have the guts to face and fight.  
He had given up everything, and all he could do now, was wait for death to embrace him and free  
him from this horrible nightmare.  
----------------------------------  
Samantha jerked awake hearing the unmistakeable sound of the electrocardiograph going from it's  
routine-like "beep...beep...beep..." to it's wailing "beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...." as   
the green line on the black screen went flat.   
"Oh God!" reacting quickly, she snapped out and pushed the alert-button that would call for a   
nurse, in order to prevent it.   
About 15 minutes later, doctors and nurses where rushing around, Samantha watching through the   
glass-door in order to follow what was going on.  
Someone shouted "CLEAR!" and the lifeless body of Elrod jerked in a weak spasm from the electro-  
shock he was receiving. A male nurse gave him CPR and mouth-to-mouth, then they tried electro-  
shock again. 1 minute passed....3....5.....  
The electrocardiograph started beeping again....then zoned out once more.  
"Come on Elrod..." Samantha whispered, clenching a hand to her mouth. "Don't give up on us! Not  
now...please...come back..come back...come  
---------------------------  
back....come back.."  
Elrod moaned as he opened his eyes. He was still in the cell, but instead of the pitch-black darkness  
that would usually surround him, a soft white light lit it up from an unknown source. A hand gently  
stroked back his hair from his eyes, and looking up he saw the gently wrinkled face of a old kat.  
"Sh..Sharrak..kus..." Elrod croaked. The elder kat hushed gently on him as he helped him to sit up.  
"Don't speak child. Here, drink." he muttered, handing Elrod a wooden mug with a greenish liquid. Slowly  
putting the mug to his lips, Elrod carefully gulped down the liquid, grimacing at it's harsh taste, feeling  
a tingling warm sensation softly stream out from his stomach and out in every fibre and vein in his body.  
He winced, feeling how the wounds from the whipping slowly closed, leaving slightly visible scars  
that looked like they had been healed for many years.  
Sharrakus gently helped Elrod to stand, supporting him as he was still weakened from the torture.  
"Wh..what is going on?" Elrod whispered, surprised about how Sharrakus despite his old and weaker  
looking body-structure, felt as strong and solid as a mountain under the other kats touch.   
"Your body is dying, because your soul is giving up. Which must not happen." Sharrakus responded in a  
dark tone. Elrod sighed and looked away from the elder kats piercing stare.  
"And why not? It's not like I have anything to stay strong for..." he muttered, managing to lean  
against the wall.  
"You are wrong. You have your wife, and you have your son-"  
"Who hates me because I lied to him and got me into this mess!!" Elrod snapped, managing to send a   
glare over his shoulder at the elder kat. Sharrakus was unaffected by the glare and calmly continued:  
"He is dying."  
-----------------------------  
"Pulse is stabilizing. He's coming back sir!" A male nurse called out, keeping an eye on the electro-  
cadiograph. Dr. Simon Matthews nodded and sighed in relief, seeing how the comatose patient had survived,  
his pulse stabilizing and getting a more normal and calm beating once more. If anything, this had been one  
of the closest calls Dr. Matthews had ever witnessed in his 4 year old carreer as a doctor. Looking up, he  
saw a gold-furred shekat with black hair, watching with angst in her expression as she looked through the   
window to the room. "Who's that?" he absently asked a nurse. "Any relative? Friend?" The nurse looked up a   
second, then returned to writing notes on her board. "That would be Dr. Purvis' sister, she has been keeping  
an eye on him the past few days. She alerted us on the emergency. Perhaps we should tell her how everything  
is under control?" Dr. Matthews responded with a nod and walked out of the room. "Mrs. Purvis?" The  
shekat looked up with a worried expression. "Yes?"  
"I got some good news for you. We managed to get his heart to work again. He is going to be alright."  
She sighed visibly in relief. "Oh good...or else his wife would probably kill me!" she chuckled, brushing  
away a strand of black hair away from her eyes. Matthews chuckled softly.  
"Well you won't have to worry about that. You got us alerted just in time." She nodded with a smile.  
"Thankyou Doctor. I appreciate what you have done so far....can I...go see him?" Matthews nodded.  
"You go right ahead ma'am. It's only a good idea if someone keeps an eye on him, just to see if he  
will awaken soon." Samantha nodded and headed back into the hospital-room.   
--------------------------------------  
Nexus frowned as he picked out a scroll from a shelf. He carefully opened it and scanned briefly across  
the writings, then rolled the scroll up again and put it back from where he had taken it. Nothing.  
Absolutely nothing!  
Frustration drew a snarl over the Death-knights muzzle as he picked another scroll. He had to have gone  
through at least half the library by now! And so far, he had found nothing about what was happening to him!  
A bolt of pain shot through his chest, causing him to break out into a almost hysterical coughing.   
Clenching with one arm around his chest, he leaned against a nearby wall, his entire body shuddering  
as he coughed up green blood, both on his hand and onto the floor.  
"Trouble with the clockwork?" A dark voice chuckled. Looking up, Nexus found himself face to face with Syphon.  
"What's it to you, MareKat?!" he managed to growl, wiping green blood away from his lips.  
"Just making sure that *you* stay out of trouble, *knight*!" was the MareKats response. Nexus fumed.  
"Well you can go back to whatever you were doing, 'cause I am well enough on my own." Syphon snorted in disdain.  
"Oh yeah, I can see *that*! Coughing blood up, weakening health... my dear sir knight, you seem quite ill to me!"  
"Whatever. It's none of your business." Nexus growled, pushing his way past Syphon.  
*WHAM*  
In only a matter of a second, Nexus found himself held tight by his throat up the wall. Syphon glared evilly at him  
with both eyes narrowed dangerously and fangs bared in a snarl.  
"Do not provoke me *knight*! You know well how short my temper is!" Nexus bared his own fangs, glaring in deep  
loathing at the MareKat. "You think you scare me, *MareKat*!? Think again!" Syphon hissed at him, then let go  
of him, causing Nexus to fall to the floor.  
"Next time, it will take more than just brave words from you, youngling!" And with that, he angrilly stomped off.  
Nexus felt his breath wheeze in his lungs as he pulled himself up by supporting himself to the wall.  
"I take it Syphon is jealous of your position, my dear Nexus?" A silk-like voice sounded behind him.  
Spinning around, Nexus came face to face with Hei Ying, and bowed in greeting. "M'lady." he muttered.  
"Stand up Nexus. What are you searching for here in the library of Ch'thulthru? When you should be alongside  
with your brothers who are out there, predicting the end of the world?" the black-winged goddess asked,  
her golden eyes shining in a gentle amber-like color. "I seek wisdom, majesty. Wisdom about the illness  
I have. Without knowing what is wrong with me properly, I can nothing but fail in your service. And I have  
no wish for that." Hei Ying chuckled, folding her wings around her shoulders like a cape.  
"One of the most loyal knights I have had in my time." One black wing extended and gently rested around  
Nexus with the softness of a feather. "And I appreciate that."  
"I only live to serve you, Queen of Darkness." Hei Ying smiled, her form changing slowly but surely. The  
Death-knight blinked in slight confusion as he witnessed the goddess transform from her all black form,  
to a beautiful she-kat with fur as white as the purest snow, raven black hair long enough to fall around her  
elegant feet in gentle waves. Her body was clad in a dress as black as the darkest night, her eyes with  
amber iris', with slit-like pupils. Her crimson lips parted in a smile.   
"Indeed you have been worthy in your loyalty, my knight of Death." Hei Ying purred, one elegant white-furred  
paw stroking Nexus over his cheek. A warmness slowly crept from Nexus' chest and down into his stomach  
along with his cheeks. "My queen, what...?" he was silenced as 2 fingers where placed on his lips to silence him.  
"Shhh...you have for long deserved an award for your loyalty, Nexus..." the goddess whispered as the library  
around them disappeared,and turned into a large bed-chamber, the bed covered with black furs and satin.  
"....and along with your reward, you shall find answers to your questions..." she continued, pulling Nexus  
along with her to the bed.  
"And I always reward my most loyal servants with what they desire most....let my warmth and embrace inspire you,  
to victories in what challenges that may come in the future...."  
And with that, she kissed him.  
------------------------------------------------  
A warm sunray gently caressed Elrods face as he lay in the hospital bed. With a quiet moan, he slowly opened his  
eyes, squinting against the sunlight. Looking around, he saw he was not in the dark cell anymore, but in  
a white hospital room, everything around him having that speciel clean and medical scent there always is to find  
in a hospital. A soft sigh made him turn his head, and a soft smile passed his lips as he saw his sister Samantha,  
sleeping in an armchair next to the bed. Slowly, he managed to reach out and placed a hand on her lower arm.  
Another soft sigh escaped her lips, and she slowly woke up, blinking tiredly. "Mmmm...hmmm?"   
"Morning." Elrod smiled. Samantha's eyes widened, looking at him. Then she smiled back too. "Morning yourself. And  
welcome back..." she got out of the chair. "How are you feeling?"  
"Nice and clean compared to what I have been through. Iøll explain that later, but for now, perhaps you should alert  
a nurse or a doctor or something?" Samantha chuckled.  
"Of course. I'll be right back! And then I'll call Kathy and the others. We've all been worried yaknow...you almost died."  
"I know." Elrod responded softly, a steel-like look in his eyes. "But I am back. And I intend to strike first this time!"  
Samantha send him a confused look, but his expression made her reconsider asking him what he was talking about.  
Elrod looked down at his hands as his sister had left the room. Slowly, he clenced one, then clenced the other, narrowing  
his eyes. He remembered Sharrakus' words before he had finally awaken from his coma.   
"Your son has gotten his heart parted. The good part is the child you know. But it is not much who is of the good.  
The chemical who turned him into what you where many years ago gave Hei Ying an advantage. With the help of a   
ceremony known as N'mhraa, she split your son into 2. A good side, and a bad side. But good can not excist without  
evil, and the same goes for the opposite. They are both slowly, but surely, dying."   
"But how can this be stopped!? Can it be stopped at all!!??" Elrod had asked desperately. "I don't want my son to die!"  
"I know you don't." The elder kat had responded softly. "In order to return everything to as it should be, you *must*  
lead the 2 parts together. If that is not done in for the next 24 hours..." he fell silent. Elrod stared at him.  
"What will happen?! Please, tell me!!" Sharrakus looked up at him sadly.  
"The balance will be broken. Everything will perish. There will be nothing left."  
Elrod unclenched his hands and bit his lower lip.   
"Nothing will be left..."  
------------------------------- 


	9. Chapter 8: Capture and disobeyment

CHAPTER 8: CAPTURE AND DISOBEYMENT  
  
A/N: I only own what doesn't appear on the show. There. Finally said it. -----------------------------------  
  
"No! You can't do this! I...I won't allow it! I *can't* allow it!!" Kathy shouted as she watched her husband help their son David into a jacket and shoes.  
  
"I have to Kathy. You know what Sharrakus said. If we don't do something....our entire existance will be gone forever. Nothing will be able to bring it back." Elrod looked sadly at his wife, as she stood leaning against the wall, one hand resting on her growing womb, the other clenched against her mouth, tears streaming from her eyes. A soft whimper escaped her as she slowly slid down to the floor and hugged her knees, her body shuddering as she now cried.  
  
David looked first at his dad, then at his mom. Then he walked over, and hugged Kathy around her neck. Hesitantly, almost as if he was made of delicate china, she put her arms around him and hugged him tight.  
  
"I love you mommy...." David whispered in a tired, mourning voice. As if he knew that whatever would happen, they would never see eachother again. Kathy looked at him, her eyes teary and mournful. "I love you David...." she hugged him tightly once more, weeping as she then slowly released him.  
  
"C'mon champ..." Elrod muttered softly, picking up his son. "...It's time we go save the world...."  
  
And with that, they left. -------------------------------------------  
  
They stood awaiting. Plague, War and Famine. The Knights of the Apocalypse.  
  
Waiting for the fourth member. Death.  
  
He appeared in a burst of black smoke, a black cape curling around him like a dragons wing, his golden eyes narrowed and glowing.  
  
"Greetings to you my brothers."  
  
"Greetings to you our brother." was their response.  
  
"The time has come."  
  
"The end of time."  
  
"War, spread chaos and confusion!"  
  
"It shall be done as you command." War rode off on his stallion Kazgeroth towards east.  
  
"Famine, destroy all crops and all that is nourishing!"  
  
"It shall be done as you command." Famine rode off on his mare Alcippe towards west.  
  
"Plague, spread your diseases and pestilences!"  
  
"It shall be done as you command." Plague rode off on his mare Hadria towards south.  
  
Nexus got up on Xerxes and looked towards MegaKat City, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"Death, raise your scythe and ride with pride." a voice whispered in his mind. A cold smirk cruised his lips.  
  
"It shall be done as you command, Goddess Hei Ying." He set off Xerxes towards north, towards MegaKat City. -------------------------------------------------  
  
The Klaxon blared through the hangar as Jake and Chance where in the middle of a sparring. Both of them rushed towards it and turned on the speaker as they reached it.  
  
"What is it Callie?" Jake asked, frowning.  
  
"Jake, Chance, Nexus is back! He is taking over the Mayors office with armies of plants!" Callie responded in a hectic panicked whisper. "I'm hiding in a broom-closet, but I don't know how long it will be, before I'm discovered...You have got to come and help! Quick!!"  
  
"We are right on it, don't worry Callie! We'll have this guy nailed!" Chance growled, clenching a fist.  
  
"Please, hurry u-" *CRASH*  
  
What sounded like an explosion interrupted them. They heard Callie scream, hissing and snarling, then......nothing.  
  
"CALLIE!!!" -------------------------------------------------- Elrod looked around as he was driving down the street, David in the seat next to him, having dozed off. The poor kit hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before due to nightmares about a "dark lady" and "the red kat". Elrod could only name 2 with that description. Hei Ying and Syphon. A soft sigh emitted from his mouth as he recalled the earlier conversation he had with Sharrakus before he had taken off with David towards the center of the city....  
  
"Only if the good and the evil part are reunited, the balance will return to normal and everything will be safe. Just make sure they are both together when you use the Colbratech Sword. Only that bites on Death itself."  
  
Elrod paused the car at a stop-sign and closed his eyes. The Colbratech Sword. It lay stored in the backseat, wrapped up in oiled clothes so it wouldn't rust. What kind of rush hadn't he felt when he grabbed it's handle once more, hearing it's blade sing as he gave it a trying swing?  
  
It had felt so..so....undescribeable fantastic! Like the rush you get when you know your winning a fight or a game....the rush of adrenaline, the taste of victory, and the lust for battle.....  
  
"The best we can do is wait and see how things turn out...." Elrod thought as he turned a corner, heading towards the Mayors office. David stirred in his seat and murmured, slowly waking up, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Hrmmnn...Daddy? 'r we there yet?" he yawned, squinting sleepily with his eyes. Elrod gave his son one glance before turning his attention back to the road.  
  
"Soon Champ....it will be over soon. And everything will turn out good..."  
  
"Daddy?" David said quietly, looking at his dad, his green eyes tired and sad.  
  
"What is it David?"  
  
"I love you." the kitten reached out and took the grownups hand, holding it close to his chest. When Elrod looked down on him and into his eyes, he saw something mirrored in them.  
  
"I love you too David..." he whispered, squeezing the kittens hand, before looking back on the road, still holding the kittens hand, feeling a single tear roll down his cheek as he thought over what he had seen in Davids eyes.  
  
Hope. Sorrow.....and death.  
  
No matter what happened.... -----------------------------------------  
  
As Callie slowly came to her senses, the first thing she notised was the glassy surface she was laying on. Sitting up, rubbing her head, she looked around. Everything around her was crystallic, in a round shape like in a ball.  
  
"Ahh, so you have awaken. Good." A deep voice chuckled. Callie looked up and gasped, staring into the enormous face of the Death-knight, Nexus!  
  
"Oh don't worry Mrs. Clawson-Briggs." Nexus said with a grin as he held the orb.  
  
"Your knights will come and get you. And when they do....the party will start! Hah!!"  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Callie whispered in a defiant tone even though she was trembling from fear.  
  
"Why? Oohh these SWAT Kats have an annoying habit of being able to stop those who wish to reach their ultimate goal. I am going to make sure that is stopped, and *GARGH!!*" Nexus yelped as a purple beam shot out from nowhere and struck him in the back, sending him rolling across the ground, while the orb with Callie bounced off. A skeletal pair of paws grabbed the orb and Callie screeched seeing it was the Pastmaster!  
  
"Oh stop your squirming and calm down! We're here to help!" The Pastmaster growled as he handed the orb to a kitten. "Nicky, take the orb to my tower, I'll keep Nexus from following!" Nicky nodded as he took the orb.  
  
"Just be careful sir." The Pastmaster smirked.  
  
"I am an 800 year old sorceror, who has been through many magic duels in my time. I think these old bones can last for a few more." Nicky managed a nervous smile but said nothing as he headed off to an awaiting wyvern that would take him to the Pastmasters tower.  
  
Nexus growled as he got up, shaking his head to clear it. Looking up, he glared at the skeleton sorceror who stood ready with his enchanted watch.  
  
"Well, youngling? Are you going to get up or are you going to lay around like a common worm?"  
  
"I'll show you who's a worm!!" Nexus snarled as he got up in a crouched position, his tail lashing crazily behind him. The Pastmaster smirked, tightening his grasp around his watch.  
  
"Show me then!" -------------------------------  
  
David felt it like he was getting weaker and weaker the more close he and his dad came to the Mayors Office, where his bad self, Nexus, would be waiting for them. A soft whimper escaped him as an all too familiar pain roamed around in his stomach, slowly spreading out in his entire body. A warm comforting hand gently brushed against his cheek, making him feel safe. He sighed softly as he slumped back against the seat, and closed his eyes. Soon, he was asleep.  
  
Elrod narrowed his eyes as he saw the Mayors Office come into view. Greenish plamages was all over the building, but when coming closer, the plamages turned into more visible plants and plantimals crawling all over the place.  
  
"Deja vu all over again..." the former reptillian kat muttered as he stopped and parked the car. He gently picked up David from the passenger seat without waking him up and looked around for the nearest kathole. Finding one, he only put David down once in order to get it open.  
  
And so he crawled down into the darkness with his son who slept peacefully, cuddled against his dads chest as they headed off in the darkness of the sewers.  
  
"Hopefully I am able to find my way down here....it's been so long...." Elrod thought, his eyes squinting to see through the dark.  
  
Then something large, slimy and green lunged out and grabbed him around his waist! Elrod had no chance to do anything as he was yanked hard into the darkness, hugging his son close and protectively to his chest. ----------------------------------  
  
The Turbokats engines roared out like a furious animal as the fighter-jet itself and it's passengers zoomed through the air. T-bones eyes where narrowed in concentration as he steered the jet towards the Mayors Office. How he hoped they weren't too late to stop Nexus from whatever he had intending....  
  
"Razor, you doing OK back there?" He called out to his partner and friend. Razor looked up from the panel, and nodded.  
  
"I'm doing fine. I just hope it's the same with Callie....if that Nexus has done anything to her..." the rest of his words drowned in a growl. T-bone frowned. He knew well how Razor's feelings towards innocent being harmed was. But this was different...granted, T-bone knew he wouldn't be too happy if something happened to Felina either, but still he knew it wouldn't do no good to let feelings control your actions. Accidents or failures had happened mainly because of that.  
  
The tabby sighed softly as he recalled the time with Turmoil. She had been cool...in a nasty sorta way...but she had just not been his kind of she-kat in the end. Just 2 years ago she had been released for good behavior and had left the city. She had probably gotten herself a boyfriend, or if it stood to her, a boy-toy. T-bone snorted at the thought. He felt sorry for whoever ended up as *that*!  
  
Razor looked concentrated on the weapons-panel, yet his mind was wondering elsewhere. 'Oh Gods and Godesses, please keep her safe...' he thought as they where now close to the Mayors Office. 'I couldn't bare it if I were to loose her....'  
  
A purple beam zapped out of nowhere, almost hitting the right wing of the Turbokat, had T-bone not done a daredevilish barrel-roll to the left.  
  
"What the-.." the large tabby started, but didn't get to finish his senteance as another beam, this time greenish, struck out, this time almost hitting the belly of the fighter-jet. T-bone smoothly went into a dive, circling around the tall building.  
  
"What in the Holy Kats name is going *on* down there!!?" Razor questioned as they came closer to the roof-top.  
  
"I don't know. But it sure is heck of a fight!!" And he was right. The entire rooftop of the Mayors Office was illuminated in a green and purple- ish light, almost in the shape of a bubble as a hectic fight of life and death went on. You could just barely see the shape of 2 figures, jumping around in a deadly dance, shooting rays of magical destruction against one another.  
  
"Your out of time, old man!" Nexus snarled, firing yet another ray that the Pastmaster dodged. "You should have stayed in that coffin you where locked in years ago!!" The ancient sorceror only grinned as he dodged another beam.  
  
"Then *you* should go back to that darkness who gave birth to you, Knight!" Nexus hissed as a purple beam strifed his shoulder, causing a deep wound.  
  
"You will pay for that, you old BONEBAG!!" He roared as he pounced on the sorceror, forcefully grabbing his shoulders. The Pastmaster hissed, kicking with his small legs as he was lifted up into the air. Nexus narrowed his eyes and growled as he arched his neck backwards, then *SMACKED* his forehead against the Pastmasters skull. The connection dazed the sorceror who saw suns, stars and moons dancing for his eyes. Then before he could react, the deathknight dropped him roughly on the ground and kicked him *hard* in the ribs, sending him tumbling across the roof.  
  
"Psh, foolish bag of bones! How pathetic can one be!?" Nexus growled, baring his fangs in a disgusted grimace. The Pastmaster looked up, grimacing from the pain, though managing a grin.  
  
"Pathetic enough not to look over your shoulder!" Nexus smirked cooly.  
  
"Please, you actually think I am going to fall for that ol-" He didn't get to finish his senteance as a Spider-missile shot out of nowhere, and shortly after had him wrapped up like a christmas-gift, sprawling and writhering on the ground in fury.  
  
The Pastmaster looked up, grinning as he saw a familiar black jet hover above the roof-top, preparing to land. With slow movements that sent surges of pain through his bony body, he managed to get up to stand, leaning excausted against the side of an airvent. Nexus snarled and hissed in fury as he struggled on with his bonds, glaring hatefully at the 2 SWAT Kats who now had jumped down on the roof and where making their way across it.  
  
"Your late." The Pastmaster commented dryly, wincing as he could feel that some of his ribs had been broken. "Yeah well Razor hadn't emptied his bladder before we took off." T-bone commented sarcastic before getting twapped by the slimmer SWAT Kat.  
  
"What have you done to Callie, you psyco!!??" Razor then snarled as he grabbed Nexus around his throat. The Knight snarled, refusing to say anything.  
  
"She is alright, SWAT Kat." The Pastmaster answered. "At this moment she is trapped inside an orb, but I will do my best to get her out without harm." Razor snarled angrilly at Nexus who only grinned at the Pastmaster.  
  
"Old fool! You think it's going to be *so* easy getting the dear Mayor out of that orb? Think again!" The Pastmaster ignored the teasing, staring neutrally at the Deathknight with his single eye.  
  
"I don't take anything for being easy, knight. You of all should know that." Nexus growled in response.  
  
["My oh my, do *you* look tied up!"] an all too familiar voice teased in Nexus' mind. He bared his fangs, easily recognising it.  
  
["Syphon! Get me out of this!!"]  
  
["Now, why would I do that?"] Syphon asked innocently, failing to hide his glee over Nexus' capture. Nexus mentally hissed angrilly, writhering to get free of his ropes.  
  
["Get me free at once! It isss an order!!"]  
  
["Oooh an *order*! I am so scared! What would happen if I *don't* follow that order!?]  
  
[You lowlifed slimy little *worm*!! I'll rip your troat out for thissss!!!!"]  
  
Syphon only laughed at the threat and the feeling of his presence disappeared. Nexus snarled as he struggled in his bonds, cursing demon and devil to Hades' deepest abyss.  
  
When he got his hands on that MareKat, he would *indeed* pay for his disobeyment! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------  
  
Hei Ying watched the whole scenery in a orb, her golden eyes narrowed in thought. Syphon was becoming more and more arrogant as time had passed since his revival...  
  
She would have to get rid of him soon. But at the moment, the game was turning out interesting.  
  
"Syphon will learn what it means to disobey a servant of the Goddess...." she muttered, folding the enormous black wings around her. In the darkness surrounding the black goddess, shadow creatures roamed around, hissing, slithering, crawling, creeping. Green, red and white eyes where fixated on their mistress, their creator, awaiting her orders. One word, one move, and the creatures would kill to satisfy her Dark Majesty. Hei Ying narrowed her eyes, suddenly spreading her wings out in a flash, letting out a horrifying *SCREECH*!  
  
"Spread out children! Spread out and spread your nightmares, spawn seeds that will flourish in the mortal minds, spread disease, spread illness, spread conflicts, SPREAD CHAOS!!!!!!"  
  
The creatures screeched in one horrifying choir of darkness, then they all disappeared in the surrounding dark to fulfill the orders of Hei Ying.  
  
She kneeled by the orb, her smooth, black paws touching and caressing the glassy surface like a mother touches her child while it sleeps. Her eyes glowed in the dark in competition with the ghastly white light surrounding the orb in an aura.  
  
"Soon.........." ------------------------------- 


	10. Chapter 9: Close to target

CHAPTER 9: CLOSE TO TARGET  
  
A/N: Well here we go people. This *was* to be the final chapter, but I'm alittle stuck...Too many weird ideas I guess. If anyone of you got an idea for the final chapter, email me! --------------------------------  
  
So dark......  
  
No  
  
...More...black....  
  
Black like a night without a moon or stars....  
  
I'm scared...  
  
Can't see...  
  
Can't.....see....  
  
Air....can't...  
  
Can't breathe...!  
  
I can't breathe! I..I...  
  
"David..."  
  
Huh?  
  
"David....wake up little one..." *****************  
  
David woke up with a choked gasp, sweat having his fur soaked enough for it to have his hair clinging to his eyes. His dad who was holding him close, gently brushed the hair out of his eyes and kissed his cheek. "Did you have a bad dream, champ? You where squirming so much...." David could only whimper and buried his face into his dads chest.  
  
Elrod soothingly brushed his fingers through the kittens black hair and nuzzled his nose against the kittens ears. Soon, the kitten was asleep again, this time more peacefully. The grown kat sighed as he held the kitten, leaned against the cold wall in the sewers. Just a few hours ago he had been grabbed by large slimy tentacles that had belonged to his most trusted plantimal, Fungusface.  
  
The plant-creature had eagerly been at it's old masters service and had somehow managed to tell Elrod how Nexus had arrived at Elrods former hideout where he had lived in his time as Viper, and had taken complete control of the plantimals residing there. Elrod had not been surprised. With his looks and his great powers of magic, it was easy to manipulate a simple-thinking creature like a plantimal, to do his full bidding. Fungusface had not been around to experience it, but he had felt the change the other plantimals had gone through.  
  
And at this moment now, as Elrod was now continuing his way towards Mayors Office, oblivious of how Nexus had battled the Pastmaster and had been caught by the SWAT Kats, Fungusface was on his own way towards the Purvis family's home, in order to protect all of those who Elrod and David cared for. Espeacially Kathy with her unborn kitten. --------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nexus lay still in the bomb-bay of the Turbokat, eyes closed and arms tied close to his body due to the missile the SWAT Kats had caught him in. He had given up struggling, screaming and threatening minutes ago, due that it just didn't have any effect! The SWAT Kats had ignored him or told him to shut up, so in the end he had complied and silenced, in his mind cursing Syphon for disobeying his orders, and plotting his revenge against the Marekat. Revenge would indeed be sweet....  
  
A quiet hissing reached his ears, and he opened his eyes, staring into the dark of the bomb-bay, and there he saw them. Demons. There seemed to be about fifty or so, small, black and eyes glowing in different shades of gold, red or green. He knew they where sent by Hei Ying and in his mind, he praised and thanked his godess for this.  
  
["Untie me, demons of Hei Ying. Then bring down this infernal jet with its pilots!"] The demons did as ordered, and few of them slithered over and started gnawing in the cables keeping the knight captured, while the others started to scratch, bite and gnaw into the metal and wires of the Turbokat.  
  
As soon as Nexus got free, he smirked and petted one of the demons on the head.  
  
["Well done, Demon-spawn. Now! Spread chaos and confusion all over this city! Bring an end to it's excistance!"]  
  
Then he seemed to melt into the shadows of the dark bomb-bay, before he then fully vanished.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------  
  
It was a beautiful day at the MegaKat City Golf-Course. It's former mayor, George Manx was peacefully spending his day practising his swings and putting. As he had by now reached the 14th hole, he carefully placed the ball on the ground, then gave it a light bat with the club. The white ball rolled across the ground, then juuuuust before it was suppose to go into the hole, it stopped. Manx scoffed and made a frustrated stomp before he started to head for the hole.  
  
Then a clawed arm emerged from the hole. Manx stiffened. The arm grabbed the ball and *yanked* it into the hole.  
  
Then an enormous *CRUNCH* followed by a dry chewing sound was heard before ending in a dry *BELCH*.  
  
In situations like these, Manx only knew *one* thing to do.  
  
He turned on his heel and ran, no SPRINTED back to his golf-car, wailing:  
  
"HAAAAAAAAAAALP!! A DAEMON ATE MAY GALF-BAAAAWWWLL!!"  
  
The demon which had eaten the ball and now picking its teeth with a golf- tee, snickered. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
Screams of fright and agony chimed through the air, the sky covered in black and dark-grey clouds as a storm was coming. Nexus watched it all from the top of a skyscraper, his teeth bared in a merciless grin. The screaming and howling came from both mortal kats and horrifying demons that where attacking the kats, spreading chaos and confusion. Some kats where not lucky, and their blood gave the rough concrete and below them a scarlet color.  
  
As he kept watching this, he felt several souls disappear. Either to Heaven, Hell...or for those really unlucky, to the realm of Hei Ying. Suddenly, something gave a slight *ting* inside of him. Frowning, Nexus looked for the source of it, and found that it came from the outskirts of the city. He closed his eyes and chanted, a large pair of black and midnight-blue wings spreading out. Jumping off and catching an updrift in the wind, he took flight towards the source.  
  
David Samuel Peterson was 85 years old. His fur had, as time had passed, gone from a healthy soft brown color, to a dull grey. His tired green eyes where closed, and his hands where folded on his chest, where his heart was beating weakly.  
  
Da-dum...da-dum....da-dum...da-......  
  
He opened his eyes, feeling someone standing next to his bed. Looking to the side, he saw a tall, dark-clad figure and his eyes widened in shock. The figure lifted a hand.  
  
"Don't have fear David Samuel. I am here to bring you to your eternal bliss."David Samuel blinked as he sat up...and gasped in shock, seeing how his body stayed in the bed.  
  
"I...I am dead!?" He whispered hoarsely and in disbelief as the dark figure helped him out of the bed.  
  
"Yes. You have lived a long life, David Samuel. Your heart couldn't take it anymore and stopped a few minutes ago." Hearing this filled David Samuel with a sadness so great, he felt the pain in his chest even though he knew he was dead. He looked sadly back at his body, then up on the dark figure which he knew was Death.  
  
"But you can't take me now!" He whispered, silvery-grey tears cornering up in his eyes. "My greatest wish is to see my grand-child, David, just for one last time...he was mutated a few months ago you see...his parents are so worried about him...."  
  
"You will see him again soon." Death said in a soft and gentle voice. A bony hand gently took David Samuels, and they stepped into a dark tunnel where light was at the end.  
  
"Come now...come and rest....your soul is tired and you deserve to sleep."  
  
"Rest...yes...that sounds...nice..." David Samuel murmured tiredly.  
  
Nexus frowned as he stopped in midair, his wings keeping him up as he looked around. The feeling that had haunted him had vanished again! Strange....  
  
"Hrmph. Nevermind." He muttered as he dived down towards the city in a spiral.  
  
"I have better things to tend to."  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
"Arhichia gh'wumquonali zrykuanirea...." the Pastmaster chanted as his eyes where closed in concentration, his skeletal hands on the orb. Callie watched anxiously as the glass around her began to swirl around in different colors. First red, then green, then slowly toning to purple. Nicky watched from his place by a large bookshelf, his ears perked to attention and his tail twitching. He knew the importance of it all and if his teacher needed his help he would be sure to give it.  
  
"...Echtumi KALLAH!!" the sorceror bellowed at sudden, and a flash erupted from the orb, blinding both Nicky and the Pastmaster. As the light died down however, and they both regained their sight, the ancient sorceror cursed as there had been no change in the orb at all! Callie was still trapped inside of it, helplessly looking out through the surface of her glassy prison. Nicky watched with worry as the Pastmaster stomped over to his bookshelf, cursing and muttering under his breath.  
  
Callie said nothing as she sat down with a sigh, looking down on her hands. It had been hours where spell after spell had been cast on the orb, one blinding flash after the other. And her own hope for freedom shrinking for each failure. Looking up she saw Nicky, the Pastmasters young apprentice, smile assuringly at her.  
  
"Don't worry Mrs. Clawson-Briggs...the Pastmaster can get you out..." he turned his head as the Pastmaster let out a even more foul cursing than before.  
  
"I can't believe it!!" the ancient sorceror snarled, furiously slamming the book shut. "It is impossible!!"  
  
"What? What is it!?" Callie asked as she stood up, worry clear on her face. The Pastmaster closed his eyes as he replaced the book on the shelf.  
  
"A spell cast by a Knight of the Apocalypse, can only be undone by a Knight of the Apocalypse. Not by a sorceror, wizard or mage. *Only* by a Knight of the Apocalypse...." he sneered darkly, teeth bared in fury. Nicky frowned. To him, there was no spell, curse or incantation that the Pastmaster couldn't do or undo. Hearing this kind of news worried him. He opened his mouth to say something, when-  
  
*CRASH*  
  
Callie screamed and the Pastmaster yelled as something caused the window to explode inwards, sending shards of glass everywhere. Nicky yelped as part of the glass cut his arms as he protected his face with them, kneeling on the floor by the orb. Callie had in pure reflex covered on the bottom of the orb, protecting her head with her arms. In through the broken window came a winged minotaur-golem, it's dead clay eyes glowing a furious red as it entered, glaring around in the sorcerors study, before its gaze settled on the orb containing the curled up form of the city's mayor.  
  
As the Pastmaster raised his watch to cast a spell that would knock the Golem out of course, the creature lunged out, grabbing him by his collar and lifted him up in the air, before sending him out of the window, a cry of surprise and anguish escaping him as the ground rushed towards him with frightening speed. A gagging sound escaped his mouth as his flight came to a swift stop, the claws of a wyvern digging roughly into his shoulders, the reptile-ish creature basking upwards on leather-wings, hoarse shrieks escaping it's throat. The Golem itself was once again in the window, holding the orb in one large hand on the size of a shovel, large wings spread out, ready to take flight. The sorceror caught a glimpse of Nicky laying against the wall, mercifully unconcious from a strike the Golem had given him as he had tried to protect the orb, but to no use. The Golem was far too strong.  
  
The Pastmaster watched helplessly as the Golem took off into the darkened sky, Callie screaming in fear. He was tempted to follow, knowing somehow that what awated Callie was a part of a devilish plan, that Nexus had thought up. But no. He was forced to stay behind, to make sure that Samantha's kitten was not deathly wounded. With a motion from his skeletal hand, the wyvern flew close to the brokened window, and the Pastmaster landed on the floor inside, rushing towards the kitten.  
  
One way or the other, it all depended on Elrod now. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 


	11. Chapter 10: Emet and Met

CHAPTER 10: EMET AND MET  
  
A/N: Here we have it people. The final chapter. We all knew it would come to this sooner or later, and it's not like it hasn't been fun, but there are other stories to write and other ideas to get. I have enjoyed working on this final piece of my first saga and I appreciate all the comments that I have received through the few years I have been here in the SWAT Kats fandom.  
  
Keep your whiskers clean Katsfans ;)  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
Syphon growled as he overlooked the battlefield. Everything was complete chaos, the stench from rotting corpses ripping in his nostrils like the claws of a dragon.  
  
He loved it!  
  
If only his beloved Milai had been alive to see this...but she wasn't. And it was all that cursed Vipers fault! But no matter. He was getting what he deserved this very moment. The mere thought of it made Syphon let out a wild crazy cackling, causing a few scavengers to run off in fear. And someone else to draw their attention on the MareKat.  
  
He heard them before they saw him. He turned by the sound of their thundering hoofs and smirked seeing the steeds of the knights of the Apocalypse, lacking Nexus the DeathKnight for some reason. The earth trembled as the Hell Horses landed, the fire from their hoofs briefly igniting the dry ground before it was gone once more. The Marekat bared his fangs in a grin and gave a small ironic bow for the 3 knights, Plague, War and Famine.  
  
"Well if it isn't the 3 of the 4 who claims doom upon this world..." he chortled, one eyebrow rised in a teasing manner. "And what gives me the honor of seeing you from my humble perspective?"  
  
"We have been sent by our Dark Mother..." War said calmly in his deep, strong voice.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
T-bone moaned softly as he was slowly regaining concience. Pain ached through his entire body, making him wince and forcing a hissing sound through his teeth.  
  
"Kats alive...what happened..? ....Where am I?" he groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He saw he was on the ground somewhere, the cold concrete below him making him shudder, causing him to vince more of pain. Then slowly, ever so slowly, T-bone pushed himself up into sitting position, teeth bared in a silent growl as he could feel more than one rib was broken.  
  
"Ahh, your awake. Good." a smooth cold voice hissed from somewhere. T-bone lifted his head and gasped at what he saw. A few meters in front of him, at the edge of the roof stood Nexus, large bat-like wings sprouted from his back, folded like a leathery cape around his shoulders. But despite his majestic looks, it was more the object and the person in his grasp that made T-bone shake his head in fear, worry and anger.  
  
Dangling from Nexus' left hand was Razor, bleeding from several scratches and deep-looking wounds, with a look of pain on his features that told the tale of a broken arm or leg, or several ribs. In Nexus' right hand however, the knight had a glassy orb cradled in his palm. And inside was Callie, fearfully shifting her gaze from Nexus, to Razor, to T-bone and back to Nexus.  
  
"You should have let me finish off that old bonebag." Nexus growled, baring his fangs. A weak painful sound was heard from Razor as the knight tightened his grip around his wrist. T-bone growled, then stopped with a wince of pain.  
  
"Aww, whats the matter? Baby got a booboo?" Nexus asked with a twisted, pityless tone. T-bone frowned slightly as he noted Callie was looking at something that seemed to be behind the wounded SWAT Kat, but what Nexus seemed to be ignoring for some reason. "I am in the mood for a little game, SWAT Kat..." the knight smirked as he tightened his grip further. "I call it: 'gotta catch them!' You must catch your friend here..." he motioned to Razor with his tail tip. "Or the mayor.." he motioned to the orb with Callie.."Before they hit the ground! You can use your glovatrix, but ahh...you can only catch one..." he grinned, and T-bone watched in frightened shock as he slowly started to loosen his grip on Razor...  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Inside of the skyscraper, everything was dark. Thick vines covering for the windows blocked out the sunlight, almost making Elrod unable to see anything, had it not been for the flashlight in his hand. Hugged close to him, wrapped in a blanket was David, his eyes closed and his breathing quiet. A moment, Elrod stopped at a corner, looking out for any possible dangers even though they had met none this far. They where close to the roof now, and it seemed like that David got weaker for each second they got closer to Nexus.  
  
"Hang in David...please..." Elrod whispered as he made his way to the door leading up the roof. It was locked. With a silent curse, Elrod carefully placed David on the floor before looking for a fire-axe. Finding one close by, he smashed the glass with his elbow and grabbed out the ax, then proceeded to wreck havoc on the door. Then Elrod picked David up once more, and proceeded up the stairs.  
  
A door leaded outside to the roof there, and Elrod frowned as a flash of memories came back to him....himself as Viper, laughing in triumph and disdain as the Enforcers and the SWAT Kats where unable to defeat his plantimals...the rush of adrenaline, making him feel thirsty for more power...making him feel like a *god*...!!  
  
"No.." Elrod swiftly shook his head angrilly. That time was over. This was now. And he had important things to do. Like saving his son.  
  
"Daddy..?" a quiet whisper sounded from David. Elrod looked down at the kitten. "Yes David?"  
  
"I'm tired..." David whispered, barely managing to snug closer to his fathers chest, comforted by the sound of his heartbeat. Elrods expression softened, and he gently stroked Davids face with the back of his hand.  
  
"Just alittle more David, and then you can sleep..."  
  
He grabbed the handle of the door and opened it....  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Each breath he took caused him to break out in coughs, which as a sarcastic bonus splayed blood all over his chest and stomach....what was left of it that is. Syphon the Marekat, one of the most horrid Nightmare creatures of his time, the last of his own race, was dying. Oh, Syphon had tried that one once about 6 years ago when his own creator, the Master of Past and Present, had sicced a Shantu, a powerful panther-like beast with tentacles growing out of it's shoulders on him, thus severely mauled him. But Syphon was far from dead. Hei Ying, the Goddess of darkness and all that is night, had gathered the pieces of him together and kept him in limbo to heal him up. There, he had slowly healed up through the 6 years that had gone...resting...planning his revenge...and waiting.  
  
But here he was now, coughing up blood and ripped into pieces. Litterally! Quite unexpected, the 3 knights of the Apocalypse: War, Famine and Plague, had attacked him! Startled at this, Syphon had done his best to defend himself, even to escape...but in the end, War had sliced him in half with his 2-bladed axe. Coldly, Plague had infected Syphons wounds with Ebola and Famine had drained Syphon of all his energy, leaving him starving for the power of a mortals soul, blood and flesh...then they had left.  
  
So here he was now. The mighty Syphon. The most powerful of all Marekats...used and thrown aside like an old sock. But still, he did not know *why* Hei Ying had abandoned him like this..or sent her Apocalypse- lapdogs to finish him off. All he knew was, that this time he would not survive his wounds...his magic, granted by Hei Ying had vanished, so there was no way for him to heal himself or flee into Limbo to cover up there....  
  
Somewhere far off in the dark, a werewolf was howling, ready for the hunt of the night. Syphon heard it and shuddered.  
  
For the first time, in many eons, he felt fear.  
  
In the deep dark of the night, the glowing eyes of werewolves came closer, their eyes glowing in the dark and their fangs shining in the light from the fullmoon, as they came closer to the dying creature, attracted by the foul scent of his blood.  
  
Syphon did not have to wait long before they striked.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
"There they go!" Nexus laughed as he dropped Razor and the orb containing Callie. Callie shrieked while Razor only managed to croak a weak "T- bone..."  
  
"RAZOR! CALLIE!!" T-bone hollered in shock. Pain screaming in his body, he fighted to get up on his feet, Nexus watching him amused.  
  
"You better hurry up, SWAT Kat, or they'll both be ugly red splotches on the pavement!" the reptilian kat snickered, his tail dashing behind him. A sudden drift of wind made him turn around though, and his golden eyes widened in disbelief at what he saw. 5 wyvers hovered in the air before him, on 2 of them, the Pastmaster and Nicky was their passengers, while the 3rd and 4rth carried Razor and Callie between their claws. The 5th one had already set off towards T-bone, screeching all the way and reaching out its claws. Taking the hint, T-bone reached his arms up in the air, the wyvern grabbing him in its claws and carrying him off to safety. Nexus roared in fury.  
  
"YOU INSULENT LITTLE TROLL!!" He bellowed, shaking a threatening fist at the Pastmaster and his wyverns. "How *DARE* you interfear in my plans!!" The Pastmaster grimly narrowed his eyes and smirked coldly.  
  
"As they say in these modern times: Bite me!" then without a warning, they had all disappeared.  
  
Nexus snarled in fury, then spinned around by the sound of a door opening. Out on the roof came Elrod Purvis, carrying a limp form wrapped in a blanket in his arms. Elrod looked calmly at Nexus who glared back with cold hatred.  
  
"Son...we need to talk."  
  
"I am *not* your son. And we have *nothing* to talk about!!" the Deathknight snarled as he grabbed his scythe out of nowhere and pounced on Elrod.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Hei Ying laid relaxed in the darkness around her that was Eternity. Sitting crosslegged opposite of her was Jumenai, the God of light and Hei Yings brother. His all-seeing eyes gazed strangely at her, a light frown upon his brow. Not of worry, more of puzzlement.  
  
"I do not think I will ever understand you, dear sister.." he said, his fingers absently rubbing across the wooden staff he was holding. Hei Ying just smirked, opening one eye and gazing lazily at her brother.  
  
"That is why you will always be the God of light and I the Goddess of night, dear Jumenai. Perfection and Chaos. Balance." she yawned, stretching before settling once more in a relaxed position. Jumenai frowned more before crossing his arms.  
  
"Your Knights of the Apocalypse have caused all this trouble...War, Plague, Famine.."  
  
"Baah, it is the usual that is going on in the world. My boys just spiced things up alittle." Hei Ying interrupted, swatting the air with an irritated motion. An image of the 3 of the 4 knights gathered in an uncomplete circle around a pentagram appeared, all of the 3 looking weary and tired.  
  
"And look! The poor dears are even quite excausted from all of this. That is what happens when they are out of shape for quite some time, no thanks to you." Hei Ying finished before glowering slightly at the God of light who shuffled uncomfortably.  
  
"I just try to-"  
  
"Make all things nice and well, blah blah blah." Hei Ying responded cooly, glowering more. "Listen. All I did was give my boys some excersize. It is imps and demons and all the lower gods that make the mess of creating wars and disagreements and making people forget how to take proper care of their crops, thus creating famine and disease. All these mortals have *forgotten* us, Jumenai. And we *created* them!! Now we are all degrated from the Highest Gods of creation to some low, cult-worshipped ants! I gotta admit, your idea about "promoting" Sharrakus was slightly genius..."  
  
"Well neither of us got the idea of making a mortal woman pregnant..."  
  
"Zion was always such a trouble-maker and you know it." Hei Ying responded, snapping her fingers in irritation. "I always warned you that your dear *son* would make a mess of taking the credit for creating the world, and the humans! Then one disaster happens and we can start all over! *Who's* idea was it to start all over with *evolution* instead of the whole mess with the garden, the clay and the snake!? Remember the mess with Yggdrasil and Ragnarok!?"  
  
"That one was your fault, dear sister." Jumenai snapped. "YOU forgot to keep watch on that snake that Lokii gave birth to! And that dragon too! It completely ruined the tree-roots of Yggdrasil like a worm in an apple!" Hei Ying rolled her eyes and huffed.  
  
"*Why* are we having this discussion again!? Oh right. Nexus. What do you suggest, dear brother, that we should do about him? Hmm?" Jumenai frowned and sighed.  
  
"We let the boy's father tell him the truth behind that accident. Meanwhile, perhaps we can think up something better about this..."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Elrod made no attempt of dodging or defending himself. However, what stopped Nexus' attack was the sight of the bundle in Elrods arms. A weak and tired, muchly younger and unmutated version of himself peeked out and a fearful look in the boys bright green eyes appeared by the sight of the nasty looking scythe. Instead of slashing Elrod in 2 as Nexus had planned, the Deathknight swung it the other way, slicing over an airvent.  
  
Furiously, Nexus glowered at Elrod who stood his ground unphased by the others glare, as the Deathknight pointed at the scared kitten who huddled close to Elrods chest.  
  
"How did you get that illusion to work!?" Nexus hissed, his tail dashing furiously. Elrods eyes narrowed slightly. "He is not an illusion. He is you...or what you where once." he said softly, holding David close. The kitten was now shivering, as if feeling extremely cold, though he was burning with a raging fever. Nexus narrowed his eyes in suspicion and was about to answer, when a burning pain he thought had vanished blossomed in his chest. A HOWL of pain ecchoed by a shriek of agony from kitten escaped Nexus' throat as he fell to the ground, clutching his chest. Elrod watched him as the large snake-kat curled up on the ground, hissing and writing in agony as David squirmed and whimpered, tears of pain running down his cheeks.  
  
"You and David have been separated for so long, it is taking the toll on both of you." Elrod said calmly, slowly as if choosing his words carefully. Nexus slowly lifted his head and glared angrilly at him, wincing and twitching from the pain burning in his chest. "I..have abssssolutely no...idea...what you are on about..." he managed to growl out between gritted teeth. He was surprised to see a sad, almost mournful expression upon Elrods face, as the tomkat came over to him and kneeled next to him with the weakened kitten in his arms. The closer David came as well, the more the pain vanished, Nexus notised...it seemed to be a relief for the kitten as well, who had passed out from the excausting agony.  
  
"You are each side of the same coin..." Elrod said quietly. "David is all that is good in you...and you are all that is bad in David...Hei Ying separated you, did she not? She made a mistake in doing so, because the more time you both have spent from eachother, the more you fall apart...become unbalanced..." he closed his eyes and lowered his gaze.  
  
"Nexus...David...you are dying...and unless you reunite, you will perish...and if anything, I don't what that to happen..."  
  
"Then perhapssss you sssshould have told the truth from the beginning!" Nexus sneered, slowly and painfully sitting up, still wincing as he held his chest with one arm, supporting himself with the other. Elrod only looked at him sadly, absently stroking the kittens back. "I know that now...and I am sorry...so horribly sorry....all I ever wanted was to protect you...from my past..."  
  
"WELL YOU DIDN'T!" Nexus bellowed. "You lied to me! To us!!"  
  
"BECAUSE OF MY LOVE FOR YOU!!" Elrod shouted back, tears escaping from his eyes now. Nexus fell silent and stared at him as if he had never seen him before.  
  
"Because of my love for you...for my little boy..." Elrod continued in a harsh whisper. "...I lost you..to that horrible mutagen...instead of *doing* something that could have prevented all of this..." gently, he laid David on the ground before covering his eyes with his free hands. "But instead...I failed..." he sobbed. "I have lost the battle..." he looked up at Nexus once more, tears soaking the fur below his eyes. "...and if anything, I don't deserve to live, because you have suffered so much. All because of me."  
  
Nexus sat dumbfounded. He didn't know what else to do! He tried asking Hei Ying for advice and guidance, but she remained silent. He tried going over the various known lectures he had heard and been taught through the years he had spent in the other world. But he found no answer in any of them.... Finally, he decided to look for the answer in his heart. He saw past all the anger, the bitterness and sorrow, the confusion and doubt...and to the other part of him that was still the kitten David. The kitten looked at him tiredly, almost mournfully. And then he knew what he had to do.  
  
Slowly, he reached out and picked up the boy in his arms. The pain vanished completely at that, and gave him back the strength and security he had lost before...then he looked to his father. Elrod Purvis, who had once been Doctor Viper, had suffered so badly under his order and hand.....all because of a foolish mistake that the kitten David had made by following a bully from his class to prevent him from getting into trouble....  
  
Slowly, Nexus stood up and gazed sadly at Elrod who came to his feet as well. The 2 stood there in what seemed like forever. Then without a warning, Nexus reached out with his free hand and pulled Elrod close in a forgiving embrace. At first, Elrod was startled, until he figured what was happening. Then he returned the hug, carefully embracing both Nexus and David. This was the true moment of forgiveness...  
  
"I love you dad..." Nexus whispered, tears escaping his eyes, the salty drops rolling down his cheeks and soaking the clothe of the blanket David was wrapped in...then carefully and gently, he placed his free hand over Elrods eyes and said one word.  
  
"Sleep."  
  
Before Elrod could react, he was hurled down into a maelstrom of a deep, safe unconciousness.....  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
It began as a light trembling, like the earth itself was getting a light case of goosebumps....  
  
Then everything else started to shake and shatter, pictures and vases and everything else not secured falling to the floor. Clocks ceased working, animals howled in fright and agony, men, women and children screamed out their fright and confusion. All was chaos.  
  
Kathy and Samantha both shrieked as they clinged to eachother, covering underneath the dinnertable in their living-room as things fell down and smashed around them. Both of them felt the same fright inside of them. Like something close to them, something very dear was about to be lost for them forever...  
  
And they knew it was impossible to prevent.  
  
From their place in Eternity, Hei Ying and Jumenai watched. Sharrakus was with them, all 3 of the gods watching. Hei Ying with curiosity, Jumenai with a worried frown and Sharrakus with a sad, mourning expression.  
  
"How very interesting..." Hei Ying uttered to herself. "He is using the Chaos And Balance spell...that has not been used in ages..."  
  
"Indeed.." Jumenai responded, frowning even more. "He must have a very good sacrifice at hand to perform this..."  
  
"Indeed he does...." Sharrakus said sadly, looking truly like an old and tired tomkat this very moment.  
  
"Indeed he does."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------  
  
Emet= If anyone knows the story about the Golem, you probably know how Emet is hebrew for "Truth" while erasing the E makes it into Met, the hebrew word for "Death". If you don't, I can recomment a really good version of the story as told by R.L Stine, the author of the "Goosebumps" books. It is also to find about in any known jewish folk-tale. If not, correct me if I'm wrong.  
  
An Epilogue is on its way! 


	12. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

A/N: I will just go into hiding before people can hurt me once they've read this....

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The sun was shining, its warm rays gently spraying across MegaKat  Memorial Cemetary, all over the tombstones, crypts and crosses. Along one of the paths, a couple was walking. Both of them not speaking. In this place, it seemed somehow wrong to do so. They just held eachother close for comfort and warmth.

A little she-kat with golden fur and raven-black hair had gone ahead of them, chasing the autumn leaves that where blown around by the wind. Her golden eyes that she had inherited from her dad glittered in the sun as she looked up, a voice calling to her.

She instantly ran back to both of her parents who had stopped by a family grave. Her mommy picked her up and held her close, as they quietly stood there, saying nothing. She looked to her daddy and frowned worried, as she saw that he had a sad, upset look upon his face. Slowly, her daddy kneeled down and placed some flowers in a vase in front of the tombstone. Erica didn't know how to read yet, but her mommy had told her what the inscription said:

DAVID PURVIS  
  
BORN: MAY 17th 1998 + AUGUST 11th 2003

BELOVED SON

LOVED AND MISSED

"Come on sweetheart..." Kathy muttered gently to her daughter before carrying her off. Erica looked over her mothers shoulder to her daddy, frowning puzzled at what was going on. Why was her daddy ao upset? She hated that he was so sad...She knew that in the grave they visited was her brother. The older brother she had never met, and never would. But how she had lost him would be told to her one day in the future when she would have become old enough, to understand all about magic, sorcerors, gods and creatures you only find in your worst nightmare.

Elrod sighed as he gazed at the tombstone, gently brushing his fingers across the inscription. A moment, his vision was blurry, and when he blinked it away. The day still stood clear in his mind....

With the Chaos and Balance spell, Nexus had used himself as a sacrifice. In one burst, all had been chaos. Fires, earthquakes, floods...

But then, like a powerful soundwave, it all disappeared. No buildings had been torn down. No people where killed. Fires had never been ignited and earthquakes had never torn the ground.

Chaos and Balance. Perfect balance.

When Elrod woke up, he found that Nexus was gone. Not a single trace of him was left....David on the other hand, lay curled up in his blanket. Quiet, his eyes closed and with a such peaceful expression that you would think he was just asleep....Elrod remembered how he had scrambled to the still form of his son, had picked him up and held him close, searching for a sign, ANY sign, that he was still alive...

But with all sacrifices, you pay a price.....

He only half-remembered the trip back home. He had taken David's body with him the same route he had taken to the building. First down the building, where he luckily didn't meet any as it was closed for construction, through the sewers and to the place where he had left his car....finally, he had arrived home.

Kathy had stood there, waiting for him anxiously. As he came up the path leading to their home, her worried expression changed to horror as she saw the unmoving limp form in her husbands arms, and the mourning look on Elrods face. When he looked up at her, sorrow was clear in his eyes as tears formed in his eyes...a horrified disbelieving shriek escaped her and she hurried to him and their son, and when he had told her all that had happened, they both wept...

The pain had become too much as he went through the memory of it all in his mind....the trip to the hospital...the doctors grave look telling them of how David seemed to had died from a mistake in his heart. He had by any chance been spared for any pain, and had found peace in his sleep....then came the funeral. Elrod didn't remember much of it, but he knew it would be a day he would never forget. The priest's words...

_"...__Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me..."_

Kathy had cried so miserably, it had been hard to calm her down. Elrod himself had not cried at all. Not a tear had escaped him...it was as if that the very part of him that contained all that was sorry and worry, fear and anger...had locked up. Every day, they visited Davids grave. Sometimes, Elrod was along with Kathy. Other times, he went alone. 

And after each time, he felt more and more miserable...

"Daddy?"

The voice made him snap out of his thoughts and his head shoot up. No! It couldn't be...

"Daddy...?" the voice sounded once more....and there, through the tombstones and crosses and autumn-leaves was David...he looked stronger and healthier than ever, his bright green eyes shining like gem-stones in the sunlight, and his raven-black hair having a shine to itself...But all of this image was also transparent. Elrod could only stare in disbelief as the kitten headed towards him. Sometimes he walked around the tombstones, other times he passed through them...but he was there.

"D..David.." Elrod whispered hoarsely, his eyes widening as the kitten now came close enough for him to touch. David smiled.

"Hiya daddy! How are ya!?" Elrod felt a lump in his throat and swallowed it.

"I'm fine..." the smile that had been on Davids face vanished and was replaced with a frown. "Daddy, you know it's not nice to lie...your *not* fine!" Elrod closed his eyes and felt something inside him quiver...the boy was right. He was lying again...

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..." he managed to whisper. David smiled softly and without a warning, the ghost of what had once been his son, Elrod felt the ghost's arms around his neck in a hug. David snuggled against him, smiling softly.

"I know daddy....I know you didn't mean to lie...you didn't know what would happen."

For the first time in a long time, Elrod felt tears in his eyes. A painful lump in his throat prevented him from talking, only allowing him to let out a croaking, half-choking sound. He felt something inside of him break and without thinking further, he embraced the ghost. The most wonderful thing that moment was, that the child felt *solid*! And in his mind, Elrod prayed that he would not vanish...that he would stay with him...with them all... and when all became too much, he finally broke down crying, his tears giving air for all that had been locked inside of him for so long...his sorrow, his anger, his misery....everything!!

David said nothing as he hugged his dad. He knew that crying would be the best for him this very moment...After a time that seemed like forever, Elrod slowly got a hold of himself, and he looked at David, tears still escaping his eyes but now in a more calm stream. He smiled. David smiled back. And they both hugged eachother tightly.

"I love you daddy..." the kitten whispered, his phantom fingers brushing through his dads mane of black hair. A choked sound escaped Elrod, and he hugged David more tight. "And I love you, David...oh God..I miss you so much..."

"I know daddy....but please don't be sad...mommy and Erica needs you too..." David said, looking at his father once more with a serious frown upon his face. "Mommy needs you...she misses me too, you know....and Erica is my lil' sister...she needs to be taken care of...." Elrod nodded slowly as he listened. He had known all this the whole time...but all had been so difficult and he had been so miserable, he had selfishly not been giving it any thought...

"I have to go now daddy..." David whispered quietly. "Please stop being so sad...I'm still with both you and mommy...right here.." he said, pointing at Elrods chest, right at his heart.. "And here..." he added, pointing to his head. Elrod nodded quietly as he listened.. He knew, that the gods had granted him this final chance to see his son. And he was grateful for it.

"I will always miss you David..." he whispered, closing his eyes. Then he opened them again and sighed. "But I will never forget you..." David grinned to him.

"And someday, we'll be together again! It'll take a while, but we'll all be there! You and me and mommy and Erica..and aunt Samantha and Nicky..." Elrod nodded, smiling softly. The kat and the ghost just sat there, silently for a while. Then they hugged eachother tightly again. For the last time, in a long time.

"I love you daddy..." 

"I love you even more, David...my little boy...my champ..."

Slowly, David untangled from his dads grip. And as a gentle wind softly blew a few autumn-leaves past Elrod, he began to fade more and more...he smiled one last time...

And then he was gone.

Elrod sighed quietly to the wind, as he thought over what had happened just now....standing up, he looked around. Suddenly, the wind had a more crisp scent to it...the scent of the approaching winter...the sun had a sharper glow to it, like the true autumn sun could only have it...the grass among the tombstones and crosses had a powerful, but peaceful green color over it, and the lonely weeping willow near the military-crosses for those who had falled during the MegaWars had a gentle sway to it as the wind played through the branches of it... Elrod looked down on the tombstone before him...and he smiled.

Kathy looked up as she heard footsteps, and she saw Elrod approach. She knew something good had happened when he looked at her and smiled. It seemed like so many painful years ago that he sent her a smile like that. Then gently, without a warning, he reached out and took her head between his hands and kissed her ever so softly. Erica giggled and let out a gagging sound, before her daddy stopped kissing her mommy and smiled to her. Then he kneeled down and hugged his daughter tightly. An action she had no objections to.

"I love you daddy." She whispered, digging her fingers into his black mane. Elrod smiled.

  
"And I love you Erica..." then slowly, he let go of her and stood up, and he smiled warmly to Kathy who smiled back.

"Lets go home."

Gently, they took eachothers hands, and went along the path the leaded out of the cemetary. Somewhere behind them, David watched them, sitting on his tombstone. He smiled. He knew that his mom and dad would be OK now. And the same with his little-sister who would never meet him. Except for in dreams if she wanted...and with the force of a gentle breeze, he had vanished.

_Don't stand by my grave and weep_

_I am not there, I do not sleep_

_I am a thousand winds that blow_

_I am the diamonds glint on snow_

_I am the sunlight on ripened grain_

_I am the gentle autumn's rain_

_When you awaken in morning's hush_

_I am the swift uplifting rush_

_Of quiet birds in circle flight_

_I am the soft stars that shine at night_

_Do not stand at my grave and cry_

_I am not there, I did not die._

_I'm Not Here ~ Anonymous_

THE END

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................well....yeah, thats it! Go on! Review it, flame it, go home, I dun care!


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